U-ELIYA udabula eSigodini SaseJordani. Sekuphele amasonto ehamba, usuka kude le eNtabeni iHorebe ulibangise enyakatho. Manje njengoba esebuyile ezweni lakubo kwa-Israyeli, ubona izinguquko. Imiphumela yesomiso esathatha isikhathi eside yayisiqala ukushabalala. Imikhemezelo yasekwindla yayisiqalile futhi abalimi babelima emasimini abo. Kumelwe ukuba kwamduduza umprofethi ukubona umhlaba uphinde uqhakaza, kodwa wayekhathazeke kakhulu ngabantu. Babegula ngokomoya. Ukukhulekela uBhali kwakuyinsakavukela kulelo zwe futhi u-Eliya wayebhekene nomsebenzi omkhulu. *

Eduze komuzi wase-Abela-mehola, u-Eliya wabona abantu belima insimu enkulu. Kwakunezinkabi ezingu-24 ezaziboshelwe ngazimbili, ziyizipani eziyishumi nambili, zivula imisele enhlabathini eswakeme. U-Eliya wayefuna indoda eyayishayela isipani sokugcina. Leyo ndoda kwakungu-Elisha owayekhethwe uJehova ukuba angene esikhundleni sika-Eliya. Njengoba u-Eliya ayeke wacabanga ukuthi uyedwa ekukhonzeni uJehova, akungabazeki ukuthi wayekulangazelela ukuhlangana nale ndoda.—1 AmaKhosi 18:22; 19:14-19.

Ingabe kwakunzima ngo-Eliya ukuvumela omunye umuntu ukuba amsize emsebenzini wakhe noma ekugcineni athathe isikhundla sakhe? Asazi futhi ngeke siphethe ngokuthi kwakungamkhathazi lokho. Phela naye “wayengumuntu onemizwa efana neyethu.” (Jakobe 5:17) Kunoma ikuphi, ukulandisa kweBhayibheli kuthi: “U-Eliya wawelela kuye waphonsa phezu kwakhe isembatho sakhe sabaprofethi.” (1 AmaKhosi 19:19) Isembatho sika-Eliya—cishe isikhumba semvu noma sembuzi—sasembathwa abaprofethi futhi sasiyisibonakaliso sokukhethwa kwakhe uJehova. Ngakho-ke ukusiphonsa kwakhe emahlombe ka-Elisha kwakuyisenzo esichaza okuthile. Ngokuzithandela u-Eliya walalela umyalo kaJehova wokuba akhethe u-Elisha ukuze angene esikhundleni sakhe. U-Eliya wayemethemba uNkulunkulu wakhe futhi emlalela.

Le nsizwa yayizimisele ukusiza lo umprofethi osemdala. U-Elisha wayengeke athathe isikhundla sika-Eliya ngaso leso sikhathi. Kunalokho, ngokuthobeka wahamba nomprofethi omdala iminyaka eyisithupha, emsiza futhi kamuva waziwa ngokuthi yilowo “owayethela amanzi ezandleni zika-Eliya.” (2 AmaKhosi 3:11) Yeka ukuthi kwakumduduza kanjani u-Eliya ukuba nesikhonzi esinekhono nesiwusizo! Cishe la madoda amabili aba abangane abakhulu. Ngokuqinisekile ukukhuthazana kwawo kwawasiza ukuba akhuthazele naphezu kokubona ukungabi nabulungisa okubi kakhulu okwakuyinsakavukela kulelo zwe. Ngokukhethekile, ububi benkosi u-Ahabi babuqhubeka buba bubi nakakhulu.

Kuke kwenzeke yini ubhekane nokungabi nabulungisa? Iningi lethu liyabhekana nakho kuleli zwe elonakele. Ukuthola umngane othanda uNkulunkulu kungakusiza ukuba ukukhuthazelele. Ungafunda nokuningi endleleni u-Eliya abonisa ngayo ukholo lapho ebhekana nokungabi nabulungisa.

U-Eliya no-Elisha basebenza kanzima befundisa abantu ngoNkulunkulu. Kusobala ukuthi bahola ekuqeqesheni abanye abaprofethi okungenzeka  babezihlele baba amaqembu. Nokho ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, u-Eliya wathola isabelo esisha esivela kuJehova: “Suka, wehle uhlangabeze u-Ahabi inkosi yakwa-Israyeli.” (1 AmaKhosi 21:18) Wayenzeni u-Ahabi?

Kakade le nkosi yayiyisihlubuki futhi yayiyimbi kunawo wonke amakhosi ayeke aba khona kwa-Israyeli kuze kube yileso sikhathi. Yayishade noJezebeli, futhi yayibangele ukuba ukukhulekelwa kukaBhali kwande ezweni, nayo ngokwayo imkhulekela. (1 AmaKhosi 16:31-33) Ukukhulekela uBhali kwakuhlanganisa imikhosi yokukhulekela inzalo, ubufebe ngisho nokwenza imihlatshelo ngezingane. Ngaphezu kwalokho u-Ahabi wayesanda kweqa umyalo kaJehova owawuthi akabulale inkosi embi yaseSiriya uBheni-hadadi. Kusobala ukuthi u-Ahabi wenqaba ukulalela ngenxa yethemba ayenalo lokuzuza ngokwezimali. (1 AmaKhosi, isahluko 20) Nokho, manje ukuhaha, ukuthanda imali nobudlova buka-Ahabi noJezebeli baba bubi nakakhulu.

U-Ahabi wayenesigodlo eSamariya—sasiyisakhiwo esikhulu ngempela! Wayenesinye isigodlo eJizreyeli, eyayiqhele ngamakhilomitha angu-37. Eduze kwaso kwakukhona isivini. U-Ahabi wayesifuna leso sivini esasingesendoda ogama layo linguNabhoti. Ngakho wabiza le ndoda wathembisa ukuyinika imali noma esinye isivini ukuze athole lesi ayesifuna. Nokho, uNabhoti wathi: “Kuyinto engacabangeki kimi, ngokombono kaJehova, ukuba ngikunike ifa lokhokho bami.” (1 AmaKhosi 21:3) Ingabe uNabhoti wayenenkani? Engacabangi? Abaningi bacabanga kanjalo. Empeleni, wayelalela uMthetho kaJehova owawenqabela ama-Israyeli ukuba athengise umhlaba oyifa lomndeni wawo. (Levitikusi 25:23-28) KuNabhoti kwakuyinto engacabangeki ukwephula uMthetho kaNkulunkulu. Wayeyindoda enokholo nesibindi ngoba ngokuqinisekile wayazi ukuthi kuyingozi kangakanani ukumelana no-Ahabi.

U-Ahabi wayengenandaba noMthetho kaJehova. Waya endlini yakhe “enyukubele futhi edangele” ngoba isicelo sakhe sasenqatshiwe. Siyafunda: “Walala phezu kokhukho lwakhe wagcina ubuso bakhe bufulathele, akazange asidle isinkwa.” (1 AmaKhosi 21:4) Lapho uJezebeli ebona umyeni wakhe enyukubele futhi equdule kuhle kwengane, ngokushesha wenza iqhinga lokuba amtholele lokho akufunayo—elalihilela nokubulala umndeni olungile.

Ukufunda ngeqhinga lakhe kusenza sibone ububi balo obushaqisayo. INdlovukazi uJezebeli yayazi ukuthi uMthetho kaNkulunkulu wawufuna ofakazi ababili ukuze icala elibi umuntu abekwe lona libe nesisindo. (Duteronomi 19:15) Ngakho wabhala izincwadi ngegama lika-Ahabi, eyala amadoda avelele eJizreyeli ukuba athole amadoda amabili ayengamangalela uNabhoti ngamanga—ambeke icala lokuhlambalaza, elalingenza umuntu abulawe. Iqhinga lakhe laphumelela. ‘Amadoda amabili angelusizo lwalutho’ amangalela uNabhoti ngamanga futhi ngenxa yalokho wakhandwa ngamatshe waze wafa. Akugcinanga lapho—amadodana kaNabhoti nawo abulawa! * (1 AmaKhosi 21:5-14; Levitikusi 24:16; 2 AmaKhosi 9:26) U-Ahabi wavumela umkakhe  ukuba enze akuthandayo futhi abulale labo bantu abangenacala.

Cabanga indlela u-Eliya azizwa ngayo lapho uJehova emtshela ngalokho okwenziwe inkosi nendlovukazi. Kuyadumaza kakhulu ukubona abantu ababi becindezela abangenacala. (IHubo 73:3-5, 12, 13) Namuhla, kuvamile ukubona izenzo ezimbi zokungabi nabulungisa—ngezinye izikhathi okwenziwa ngisho amadoda anamandla athi amelela uNkulunkulu. Nokho le ndaba ingasiduduza. IBhayibheli lisikhumbuza ukuthi akukho lutho olufihlekile emehlweni kaJehova. Ubona konke. (Hebheru 4:13) Yini ayenzayo ngezenzo ezimbi azibonayo?

UJehova wathuma u-Eliya ku-Ahabi. UNkulunkulu wathi: “Nanguya esivinini sikaNabhoti.” (1 AmaKhosi 21:18) Lapho uJezebeli etshela u-Ahabi ukuthi isivini sekungesakhe, wasukuma ngaso leso sikhathi waya esivinini sakhe esisha. Wayengacabangi ukuthi uJehova uyakubona akwenzayo. Cabanga indlela ayezizwa ngayo njengoba ehambahamba kuleso sivini, ephupha ngokusenza sibe insimu enhle. Kungazelelwe kwaqhamuka u-Eliya! Injabulo ka-Ahabi yaphenduka intukuthelo nenzondo njengoba esho la mazwi: “O sitha sami, ungitholile!”—1 AmaKhosi 21:20.

Amazwi ka-Ahabi embula ubuwula obukabili. Okokuqala, lapho ethi, “Ungitholile!” ku-Eliya, u-Ahabi wabonisa ukuthi wayengacabangi ngoJehova. UJehova ‘wayesemtholile’ kakade. Wayebhekile njengoba u-Ahabi esebenzisa kabi inkululeko yokuzikhethela futhi ejabulela izinzuzo zeqhinga likaJezebeli elibi. Lapho ehlola inhliziyo ka-Ahabi, uNkulunkulu wabona ukuthi isihe sakhe, ubulungisa noma uzwela, kwase kwembozwe ukuthanda kwakhe izinto kakhulu. Okwesibili, lapho ethi ku-Eliya, “O sitha sami!” u-Ahabi wembula inzondo yakhe ngendoda eyayingumngane kaJehova uNkulunkulu eyayingamsiza ukuba aphenduke enkambweni yakhe embi.

Singafunda izifundo ezibalulekile ezenzweni zika-Ahabi zobuwula. Kumelwe sikhumbule njalo ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu ubona zonke izinto. NjengoBaba onothando uyabona lapho siphambuka endleleni elungile futhi uyakulangazelela ukusibona sishintsha izindlela zethu. Ukuze asisize, ngokuvamile usebenzisa abangane bakhe—abantu abathembekile, njengo-Eliya, abamemezela amazwi kaNkulunkulu kubantu. Yeka ukuthi bekuyoba ubuwula kanjani ukubheka abangane bakaNkulunkulu njengezitha zethu!—IHubo 141:5.

 Mbone ngeso lengqondo u-Eliya njengoba ephendula u-Ahabi: “Ngikutholile.” Wathola ukuthi u-Ahabi uluhlobo luni lomuntu—umuntu oyisigebengu, umbulali novukela uJehova uNkulunkulu. Yeka ukuthi kwakudingeka abe nesibindi esingakanani ukuze amelane naleyo ndoda ekhohlakele! U-Eliya wabe esechazela u-Ahabi ngesijeziso sikaNkulunkulu. UJehova wayekubona konke okwakwenzeka—ububi bomndeni ka-Ahabi babusakazekela nakwabanye abantu. Ngakho u-Eliya watshela u-Ahabi ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayenqume ‘ukuwushanelisisa’ futhi awuqothule ngokuphelele umndeni wakhe. UJezebeli naye wayezothola isahlulelo esimfanele.—1 AmaKhosi 21:20-26.

U-Eliya akazange aphethe ngokuthi abantu bangenza izenzo ezimbi zokungabi nabulungisa bangajeziswa. Yilokho abantu abaningi abakucabangayo namuhla. Lokhu kulandisa kweBhayibheli kusikhumbuza ukuthi uJehova uyakubona lokho okwenzekayo nokuthi ngesikhathi esifanele uletha isahlulelo. IZwi lakhe lisiqinisekisa ngokuthi kuza isikhathi lapho eyoqeda konke ukungabi nabulungisa kungaphinde kube khona! (IHubo 37:10, 11) Nokho ungase uzibuze: ‘Ingabe izahlulelo zikaNkulunkulu zisho ukujeziswa nje kuphela? Ingabe zinaso isihe?’

Kungenzeka ukuthi indlela u-Ahabi asabela ngayo yammangaza u-Eliya. Ukulandisa kuthi: “Kwathi nje lapho u-Ahabi ezwa la mazwi, waklebhula izingubo zakhe wembatha indwangu yesaka; wazila ukudla waqhubeka elele ngendwangu yesaka futhi ehamba edangele.” (1 AmaKhosi 21:27) Ingabe u-Ahabi wayephenduka ezindleleni zakhe?

Singasho ukuthi lokho akwenza kwakuyisenzo esihle. U-Ahabi wayezithoba—okuyinto enzima ngempela ngomuntu okhukhumele nozidlayo. Kodwa ingabe wayephenduka ngempela? Cabanga ngenkosi eyalandela u-Ahabi okungenzeka ukuthi yayiyimbi ngokwedlulele kuno-Ahabi—uManase. Lapho uManase ejeziswa uJehova, wazithoba wacela usizo kuye. Kodwa akagcinanga lapho. Washintsha ukuphila kwakhe, walahla izithombe zonkulunkulu bamanga ayezenzile futhi wenza imizamo ukuze akhonze uJehova, wakhuthaza ngisho nabantu bakhe ukuba benze okufanayo. (2 IziKronike 33:1-17) Ingabe u-Ahabi wenza okufanayo? Ngokudabukisayo akenzanga kanjalo.

Ingabe uJehova wakuqaphela ukuzisola kuka-Ahabi phambi kwabantu? UJehova wathi ku-Eliya: “Ubonile yini ukuthi u-Ahabi uzithobé kanjani ngenxa yami? Ngenxa yokuthi uzithobile ngenxa yami, ngeke ngilethe le nhlekelele ezinsukwini zakhe. Ngiyoletha le nhlekelele phezu kwendlu yakhe ezinsukwini zendodana yakhe.” (1 AmaKhosi 21:29) Ingabe uJehova wayemthethelela u-Ahabi? Cha, umusa kaNkulunkulu utholwa abantu abaphenduka ngobuqotho. (Hezekeli 33:14-16) Kodwa njengoba u-Ahabi azisola ngezinga elithile, uJehova wambonisa umusa ngezinga elifanayo. U-Ahabi wayengeke abuzwe ubuhlungu bokubona wonke umndeni wakhe uqothulwa.

Yize kunjalo, isahlulelo sikaJehova asizange sishintshe. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, uJehova wabuza izingelosi zakhe ukuthi iyiphi indlela engcono yokukhohlisa u-Ahabi ukuba aye empini ayezofela kuyo. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho uJehova wasikhipha isahlulelo. U-Ahabi walimala empini futhi wopha waze wafa esenqoleni yakhe. Ukulandisa kwenezela nale mininingwane eshaqisayo: Lapho inqola yasebukhosini igezwa, ezinye izinja zakhotha igazi lenkosi. Amazwi kaJehova u-Eliya awasho ku-Ahabi agcwaliseka phambi kwabo bonke abantu: “Endaweni lapho izinja zikhothé khona igazi likaNabhoti, izinja ziyolikhotha igazi lakho.”—1 AmaKhosi 21:19; 22:19-22, 34-38.

Ukufa kuka-Ahabi kwaba isikhumbuzo esiqinisa idolo ku-Eliya, ku-Elisha nakubo bonke abantu bakaNkulunkulu abathembekile sokuthi uJehova akazange asikhohlwe isibindi nokholo lukaNabhoti. Akwenzeki ukuba uNkulunkulu wobulungisa angabajezisi ababi, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi lokho ukwenza nini futhi uma kufaneleka uyasibonisa isihe esahlulelweni sakhe. (Numeri 14:18) Yeka ukuthi kwaba isifundo esinamandla kangakanani ku-Eliya, owakhuthazelela ukubusa kwaleyo nkosi ekhohlakele amashumi eminyaka! Ingabe wake waphathwa ngokungabi nabulungisa? Ingabe uyakulangazelela ukubona uNkulunkulu elungisa izinto? Wenza kahle ngokulingisa ukholo luka-Eliya. Ekanye nomsizi wakhe othembekile u-Elisha, waqhubeka ememezela isigijimi sikaNkulunkulu, ekhuthazelela ukungabi nabulungisa!