U-ELIYA wakhamba ngeMrhobeni iJordani. Wakhamba iimveke, asuka kude le eNtabeni iRhorebe aya etlhagwini. Kwanje, ubuyele kwa-Israyeli, ubona amatjhuguluko enarheni yekhabo. Imiphumela yesomiso esithethe isikhathi eside ithoma ukuphela. Izulu elina kabuthaka lesiruthwana lithoma ukuna, nabalimi bebatjala emasiminabo. Kufuze bona kwamduduza khulu umphorofidi lo ukubona inarha itlhurha, kodwana bekubabantu ebekatshwenyeke ngabo khulu. Bebangaragi kuhle ngokomoya. Ukukhulekela uBhali bekusese kunengi, begodu u-Eliya bekanomsebenzi omnengi okufuze awenze. *

Eduze nedorobha le-Abela-Merhola, u-Eliya wabona abantu balima isimu ekulu. Bekuneenkunzi ezimatjhumi amabili nane zipanelwe ngazimbili, ziziingaba ezi-12 ebezilima zivula imisele ehlabathini emanzi. Indoda ebeyidosa phambili isigaba samaswaphela bekungileyo ebeyifunwa ngu-Eliya. Bekungu-Elitjha, indoda uJehova ayikhetha njengezokulandela u-Eliya esikhundleni. U-Eliya wakhe wacabanga bona uyedwa ekuthembekeni kuZimu, ngalokho akunakuzaza bona bekakululukela ukuyokuhlangana nendoda le.—1 AmaKhosi 18:22; 19:14-19.

Kghani bekubudisi ngo-Eliya ukuvumela bona omunye umuntu amsize, namtjhana ekugcineni athathe isikhundla sakhe? Asazi; angeze sitjho nokuthi kwakhe kwamfikela ukucabanga okunjalo. Ngaphezu kwakho koke, “bekamumuntu ofana nathi.” (Jakopo 5:17) Ukulandisa kweBhayibheli kuthi: “U-Eliya wanqomba kuye wafese wamembesa ngenaka lakhe emahlombe.” (1 AmaKhosi 19:19) Inaka laka-Eliya—ebelenziwe ngesikhumba semvu namtjhana sembuzi—belimbathwa baphorofidi begodu belifanekisela ukukhethwa kwakhe ngokukhethekileko nguJehova. Ukuliphosela emahlombe ka-Elitjha, bekutjho okuthileko. U-Eliya ngokuzithandela walalela umyalo kaJehova wokubeka u-Elitjha njengozokulandela esikhundleni sakhe. U-Eliya bekamthemba begodu amlalela uZimakhe.

Isokaneli, belizimisele ukusiza umphorofidi olupheleko. U-Elitjha bekangazokulandela u-Eliya msinyana. Kunalokho, ngokuzithoba wakhamba nomphorofidi olupheleko iminyaka esithandathu begodu amsiza, ngokukhamba kwesikhathi owaziwa njengaloyo “ogade anande aqongela u-Eliya.” (2 AmaKhosi 3:11) Qala bona bekududuza kangangani ngo-Eliya ukuba nomsizi onekghono nolisizo kangaka! Amadoda amabili la aba bangani abakhulu. Ngokuqinisekileko ukukhuthazana kwawo kwawasiza womabili bona akghodlhelele naphezu kokubona ukungabi nabulungiswa okumbi kuzele enarheni. Ubumbi bekosi u-Arhabi, beburagela phambili buba bumbi khulu.

Uqalana nokungabi nabulungiswa? Inengi lethu liqalana nakho ephasini elonakelekweli. Ukuba nomngani othanda uZimu kungakusiza bona ukghodlhelele. Godu ungafunda okunengi ekholweni laka-Eliya newuqalana nokungabi nabulungiswa.

U-Eliya no-Elitjha basebenza budisi bona bakhe abantu ngokomoya. Badosa phambili ekubanduleni  abanye abaphorofidi, okungenzeka bebazihlele baba ziinqhema. Nokho ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, u-Eliya wafumana isabelo esitjha esivela kuJehova esithi: “Yeqa khona nje uyokuhlangabeza u-Arhabi ikosi yakwa-Israyeli.” (1 AmaKhosi 21:18) Wenzeni u-Arhabi?

Ikosi besele isihlubuki, iyimbi ukuwadlula woke amakhosi wakwa-Israyeli ngesikhatheso. Yatjhada no-Izebeli, yabangela bona kuzale ukukhulekela uBhali enarheni, kuhlanganise nekosi ngokwayo imkhulekela. (1 AmaKhosi 16:31-33) Ukukhulekela uBhali bekuhlanganisa imigidi yokukhulekela inzalo, ubufebe nokwenza iminikelo ngabentwana. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kungasikade u-Arhabi weqa umyalo kaJehova wokutjhabalalisa iKosi yeSiriya uBhen-Hadadi. Ukwala kwaka-Arhabi bekuhlanganisa nethemba lokufumana imali. (1 AmaKhosi isahluko 20) Nokho, kwanje umrhobholo, izinto eziphathekako, nenturhu ka-Arhabi no-Izebeli yaba yimbi khulu.

U-Arhabi bekanesigodlo eSamariya—bekusisakhiwo esikhulu! Godu gade anesigodlo eJizriyela, ekude ngamakhilomitha ama-37. Eduze kwaso bekunesidiribe. U-Arhabi bekafuna ingcenyana yenarha leyo, egade kungeyendoda ekuthiwa nguNabhothi. U-Arhabi wambiza begodu wamthembisa ukumnikela imali namtjhana isidiribe esinye. UNabhothi wathi: “UZimu angeze avuma bonyana ngikunikele ilifa labobamkhulu.” (1 AmaKhosi 21:3) Kghani uNabhothi bekanekani? Angacabangi? Inengi labantu lacabanga njalo. Eqinisweni, bekalalela umThetho kaJehova ogade ungavumeli ama-Israyeli bona athengise inarha egade bayifumene njengelifa lomndeni. (Levitikusi 25:23-28) KuNabhothi bekungakalungi ukweqa umThetho kaZimu. Bekayindoda enekholo nesibindi, ngombana bekazi bona kuyingozi ukujamelana no-Arhabi.

Kwamambala, u-Arhabi bekangacabangi litho ngomThetho kaJehova. Waya ekhaya “adanile begodu agcwele ipotjwana” ngombana izinto azikenzeki ngendlela afuna ngayo. Siyafunda: “Walala embhedenakhe aqumbelene bewala nokugoma.” (1 AmaKhosi 21:4) Lokha u-Izebeli abona indodakwakhe idubhule umlomo njengomntwana, msinya wenza iqhinga lokumfumanela akufunako—begodu lokho bekuhlanganisa ukubulala umndeni olungileko.

Ukufunda ngeqhinga lakhe kusenza sibone ubumbi balo obuthusako. INdlovukazi u-Izebeli beyazi bona umThetho kaZimu ufuna ubufakazi babantu ababili ukwenza umlandu umuntu abekwe wona uzwakale. (Duteronomi 19:15) Ngalokho watlola iincwadi ngebizo laka-Arhabi, ayala amadoda aseenkhundleni eJizriyela bona afumane amadoda amabili angaleya amala ngoNabhothi—ambeke umlandu wokuhlambalaza, obewungamenza afumane isigwebo sokufa. Iqhinga lakhe laphumelela. “Iinrhwirirhwiri ezimbili” zaleya amala ngoNabhothi, begodu ngebanga lalokho wakghadlhwa ngamatje bewafa. Akupheleli lapho—amadodana kaNabhothi abulawa nawo! * (1 AmaKhosi 21:5-14; Levitikusi 24:16;  2 AmaKhosi 9:26) U-Arhabi walahla ubuhloko bakhe, wavumela umkakhe bona enze akuthandako abulale abantu abanganamlandu.

Cabanga ngamazizo ka-Eliya lokha uJehova amtjela lokho ikosi nendlovukazi abakwenzileko. Kuzwisa ubuhlungu ukubona abantu abambi bagandelela abanganamlandu. (IRhubo 73:3-5, 12, 13) Namhlanjesi kanengi sibona ukungabi nabulungiswa okumbi okwenziwako—ngezinye iinkhathi kwenziwa ngitjho nababantu abasemagunyeni abathi babajameli bakaZimu. Nokho singafumana induduzo ekulandisenokhu. IBhayibheli isikhumbuza bona ayikho into efihlekileko emehlweni kaJehova. Ubona koke. (Hebheru 4:13) Wenzani ngobumbi abubonako?

UJehova wathumela u-Eliya ku-Arhabi. UZimu wathi: “Usesidiribeni sakaNabhothi.” (1 AmaKhosi 21:18) U-Izebeli nekatjela u-Arhabi bona isidiribe kwanje sekungesakhe, wavuka msinyana wayokuthabela isidiribe sakhe esitjha. Akhenge akucabange bona uJehova uqalile. Akhe umcabange ukuthi bekanjani nekakhamba khamba esidiribeni, abhudanga ngokusenza sibe yitoni ehle kangangani. Kodwana msinyana, kwavela u-Eliya! U-Arhabi ithabo lakhe latjhentjha, laphenduka laba yihloyo njengombana akhuluma emezwi la: “Sewungifumene-ke njalo sitha sami ndina!”—1 AmaKhosi 21:20.

Amezwi ka-Arhabi aveza ubudlhadlha obukabili. Kokuthoma, ngokuthi ku-Eliya, “Sewungifumene-ke,” u-Arhabi bekatjengisa bona bekangacabangi ngoJehova. UJehova besele ‘amfumene.’ Umbonile u-Arhabi ayisebenzisa kumbi ikululeko yokuzikhethela begodu athabela imivuzo yeqhinga laka-Izebeli elimbi. UZimu wabona ehliziyweni ka-Arhabi, lapho ithando lezinto eziphathekako libe ngeliqakathekileko ukudlula umusa, ubulungisa, nesirhawu. Kwesibili, ngokuthi ku-Eliya, “sitha sami ndina!” U-Arhabi watjengisa ihloyo ngendoda egade imngani kaJehova uZimu negade ingarhelebha u-Arhabi aphenduke ekambwenakhe embi.

Singafunda iimfundo eziqakathekileko ebudlhayeleni baka-Arhabi. Kufuze sikhumbule bona uJehova uZimu ubona koke. NjengoBaba onethando, uyazi nesiphambuka endleleni elungileko, begodu uzimisele ukusibona sitjhentjha iindlela zethu. Bona asisize, kanengi usebenzisa abangani bakhe—abantu abathembekileko, njengo-Eliya, abamemezela  amezwi kaZimu ebantwini. Qala bona kuzokuba budlhadlha obungangani ukuqala abangani bakaZimu njengamanabethu!—IRhubo 141:5.

Akhe umcabange u-Eliya aphendula u-Arhabi: “Vele ngikufumene.” Bekazi bona u-Arhabi ulihlobo elinjani lomuntu—isigebengu, umbulali, nesihlubuki kuJehova uZimu. Qala bona bekatlhoga isibindi esingangani bona ajame phambi kwendoda embi leyo! U-Eliya waragela phambili watjela u-Arhabi ngesigwebo sakaZimu. UJehova bekakubona koke ebekwenzeka—ubumbi bomndeni ka-Arhabi burhatjhekela nakwabanye. Ngalokho u-Eliya watjela u-Arhabi bona uZimu uqunte ‘ukurhurhula zoke’ iinzukulwana zakhe. No-Izebeli uzokufumana isigwebo esimfaneleko.—1 AmaKhosi 21:20-26.

U-Eliya akhenge athi abantu bangenza izenzo ezimbi begodu bangagwebi. Ngilokho abantu abanengi abakucabangako namhlanjesi ephasini. Ukulandisa kweBhayibheli kusikhumbuza bona uJehova uZimu akaboni kwaphela okwenzekako kodwana uletha iingwebo ngesikhathi sakhe esifaneleko. IliZwi lakhe lisiqinisekisa bona ilanga liyeza lapho azokuqeda khona koke ukungabi nabulungiswa! (IRhubo 37:10, 11) Ungazibuza: ‘Kghani izahlulelo zakaZimu zibandakanya isigwebo kwaphela? Zinesirhawu?’

Kungenzeka u-Eliya warareka nekabona ukusabela kwaka-Arhabi esahlulelweni sakhe esivela kuZimu. Ukulandisa kufundeka bunjesi: “Lokha u-Arhabi nezwa amagama lawo, wadabula izambatho zakhe, wembatha inzilo bewazila nokudla. Walala ngazo wazulazula athobekile.” (1 AmaKhosi 21:27) U-Arhabi bekaphenduka eendleleni zakhe?

Singatjho bona watjhentjha ukuziphatha kwakhe. U-Arhabi wazithoba—eqinisweni okuyinto ebudisi emntwini ozikhakhazisako nozigqajako. Kodwana bekaphenduka kwamambala? Cabanga ngekosi okungenzeka yalandela u-Arhabi ngobumbi—uManase. Lokha uJehova ajezisa uManase, indoda le yazithoba, yabawa isizo kuJehova. Khenge iphelele lapho. Yatjhentjha ikambo yayo ngokususa zoke iinthombe ezikhulekelwako ezenzileko, yenza imizamo yokukhonza uJehova, ngitjho nokukhuthaza abantu bakhe bona benze okufanako. (2 IinKronike 33:1-17) Kghani u-Arhabi wenza okufanako? Awa.

UJehova ukubonile na ukuzisola u-Arhabi akwenze phambi kwabantu? UJehova wathi ku-Eliya: “Umbonile u-Arhabi bonyana uzithobe kangangani phambi kwami? Njengombana azithobe kangaka nje, angeze ngisamehlisela ihlekelele epilwenakhe, esikhundleni salokho ngizayehlisela endlinakhe emalangeni wokubusa kwendodanakhe.” (1 AmaKhosi 21:29) Kghani uJehova bekalibalela u-Arhabi? Awa, babantu abaphenduka kwamambala abafumana umusa kaZimu. (Hezekiyeli 33:14-16) Kodwana njengombana u-Arhabi atjengisa ukuzisola ngezinga elithileko, uJehova wamtjengisa umusa ngendlela efanako. U-Arhabi bekangekhe abuzwe ubuhlungu bokubona umndenakhe utjhatjalaliswa.

Nanyana kunjalo, isahlulelo sakaJehova ngendoda le sasolo sijamile. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi uJehova wacocisana neengilozi zakhe malungana nendlela engcono khulu yokukhohlisa u-Arhabi bona ahlanganyele epini egade izokuqeda ukuphila kwakhe. Msinyana ngemva kwalokho, isigwebo sakaJehova ngo-Arhabi safezeka. Agwaziwe epini, u-Arhabi wopha bewafela ekoloyanenakhe. Ukulandisa kungezelela imininingwana engathandekiko nasi: Lokha ikoloyana yebukhosini ihlanzwa, ezinye izinja zakhotha iingazi zekosi. Amezwi kaJehova u-Eliya awatjho ku-Arhabi azaliseka: “Lapha izinja ziqabhe khona iingazi zakaNabhothi, zizakuqabha nezakho!”—1 AmaKhosi 21:19; 22:19-22, 34-38.

Ku-Eliya, u-Elitjha, nabanye abathembekileko abahlangana nabantu bakaZimu, ukupheliswa kwaka-Arhabi kwabanikela isikhumbuzo esiqinisako sokobana uJehova khenge asikhohlwe isibindi nekholo elatjengiswa nguNabhothi. UZimu wobulungiswa khenge abhalelwe kuletha isijeziso ebantwini abambi, kungakhathaliseki bona kunje namtjhana ngokukhamba kwesikhathi; khenge abhalelwe kufaka isirhawu esahlulelweni sakhe nengabe kuneensekelo zokwenza njalo. (Numeri 14:18) Qala bona bekusifundo esinamandla kangangani ku-Eliya, owakghodlhelela iminyaka ngaphasi kokubusa kwekosi embi le! Wakhe waba ngungazimbi wokuphathwa ngokunganabulungiswa? Uyakululukela na ukubona uZimu alungisa izinto? Wenza kuhle ngokulingisa ikholo laka-Eliya. Anomkhambisanakhe othembekileko u-Elitjha, waragela phambili amemezela umlayezo kaZimu, akghodlhelelela ukungabi nabulungiswa!