11—IKarmele

[Esi sahluko sisekwe ku-1 Kumkani 18:19-40.]

Emi phambi kuka-Ahabhi, uEliya wathi wonke uIsrayeli makahlanganiswe ukuze ahlangane naye nabaprofeti bakaBhahali kunye noAshteroti eNtabeni yeKarmele. “Thumela,” wayalela, “uwahlanganisele kum amaIsrayeli onke entabeni yeKarmele, nabaprofeti bakaBhahali abangamakhulu amane anamanci mahlanu, nabaprofeti baka-Ashera [abatya etafileni kaIzebhele].”AN 143.1

Umyalelo wakhutshwa ngulowo wayekhangeleka emi phambi kobuso bukaYehova; waza uAhabhi wathobela kwangoko, ngokungathi umprofeti wayengukumkani, lo gama yenaukumkani elawulwa nguye. Abathunywa abakhawulezayo bathunywa kubo bonke ubukumkani benezimemo zokuba bahlangane noEliya kunye nabaprofeti bakaBhahali noAshteroti. Kwidolophu nganye nakumzi ngamnye abantu balungiselela ukuhlangana ngexesha elimisiweyo. Ngexesha behamba besiya ngakuloo ndawo, iintliziyo zabaninzi zazizaliswe lixhala kukoyika into abangayaziyo. Kwakukho into engaqhelekangaeyayizakwenzeka;okanyeingaba yintoni ababizelwayona ababizelwa yona eKarmele? Ntlekele ni entsha eyayiza kuhlela abantu nelizwe?AN 143.2

Ngaphambi kwembalela, iNtaba yeKarmele yayiyindawo entle, imifuno ifumana amanzi kwimithombo engazanga yatsha, amathambeka ayo atyebileyo embathiswe ngeentyatyambo ezintle nezigcume ezinotyani. Ngoku ubuhle bayo babumbatshile phantsi kwesiqalekiso esibunisayo. Izibingelelo ezazakhelwe unqulo lukaBhahali noAshteroti zimi ngoku kumagcumeangenamagqabi. Encotsheni yesinyekwezonazigcumeziphakame kakhulu, ngokungafaniyo kakhulu nezi, kwakukho isibingelelo sikaYehova esidilikileyo.AN 144.1

IKarmele yayivelele ummandla obanzi wezwe; ukuphakama kwayo kubonakala nakwiindawo ezininzi zobukumkani bakwaIsrayeli. Emazantsi entaba kukho iindawo ezifanele kakhulu ukuba, xa ekuzo, umntu angabona kakuhle oko kwenzeka phezulu. UThixo wayengahlonitshwanga ngeyona ndlela enkulu ngenxa yonqulo lwezithixo olwaluqhubeka ngaphantsi kwemithi egqume amathambeka; waza uEliya wakhetha eli icala njengeyona ndawo icacileyo yokubonakalalisa amandla kaThixo kwanokuphindezela ngenxa yozuko lwegama laKhe.AN 144.2

Ekuseni ngentsasa yemini eyayimisiwe, imikhosi kaIsrayeli okreqileyo, ngokulindela ngenzondelelo, yahlangana kufuphi encotsheni yentaba. Abaprofeti bakaIzebhele bathi chu benezivatho ezihle kakhulu. Phakathi kwemiyeyezelo yasebukhosini, wavela ukumkani wathabatha indawo yakhe phambi kwababingeleli, baza abakhonzi bakhahlela ukumamkela. Sekunjalo, kukho ixhala ezintliziyweni zababingeleli njengokuba bekhumbula ukuba ngelizwi lomprofeti ilizwe lakwaIsrayeli alibanga nambethe namvula iminyaka emithathu enesiqingatha. Kukho intlekele ethile ekhoyo, baziva beqinisekile. Oothixo abebethembele kubo abakhange bakwaziukuvezaukubauEliya ngumprofetiwobuxoki. Kwisikhalo sabo soloyiko, imithandazoyabo, iinyembezi zabo, ukuhlazeka kwabo, iinkonzo zabo zovukelo, imibingelelo yabo yexabiso nengapheliyo, izinto abazinqulayo zasuka zabangathi azikhathali.AN 144.3

Ejongene nokumkani uAhabhi nabaprofeti bobuxoki, erhangqwe sisihlwele semikhosi kaIsrayeli, uEliya umi, inguye yedwa obonakala eza kumela uzuko lukaYehova. Yena lo, bonke ubukumkani bummangalela ngabo bonke ubunzima beentlekele, ngoku uphambi kwabo ebonakala ngathi akanalo ukhuselo phambi kokumkani wakwaIsrayeli, kubaprofeti bakaBhahali, kumadoda okulwa, namawaka amjikelezileyo. Sekunjalo, uEliya akayedwa. Phezulu nasemacaleni akhe, ngumkhosi wezulu okhuseleyo, izithunywa ezibalaseleyo ngamandla.AN 147.1

Engenazintloni, engoyiki, umprofeti umi phambi kwesihlwele, ewuqonda ngokupheleleyo umsebenzi awuthunyiweyo wokuba enze umyalelo wezulu. Imbonakalo yakhe iyakhanya lundiliseko oloyikekayo. Ngokulindela okuza kwenzeka benexhala, abantu bamlindele ukuba athethe. Eqala ngokukhangela isibingelelo sikaYehova esidilikileyo, aphinde akhangele kwisihlwele, uEliya udanduluka ngelizwi elicace ngokwexilongo, “Koda kube nini na nimbaxa? Ukuba uYehova nguThixo, landelani yena; ke ukuba nguBhahali uThixo, landelani yena.AN 147.2

Abantu abazange bamphendule nezwi. Akukho noyedwa kuloo ntlangano ingako owaba nesibindi sokubonakalisa ukunyaniseka kuYehova. Njengelifu elimnyama, inkohliso nobumfama bamgubungela uIsrayeli. Aluzange olu kreqo lubulalayo lwenzeke lonke ngokukhawuleza ngexesha elinye, kodwa kancinane, ngamaxesha ngamaxesha besilela ukuthobela amazwi okulumkisa nokungxolisa uYehova awayewathumela kubo. Konke ukusuka ekwenzeni okulungileyo, konke ukwala ukuguquka, kwabuzikisa ubutyala babo kwaza kwabaqhubela kude neZulu. Ngoku, kule ntlekele, baqhubeka nokwala ukumela uThixo.AN 147.3

UYehova ukuthiyile ukungakhathali nokunganyaniseki ngexesha lentlekele emsebenzini waKhe. Indalo yonke ibukele ngomdla ongathethekiyo imiboniso yokugqibela yembambano enkulu phakathi kokulungileyo nobubi. Abantu bakaThixo basondela emideni yelizwe elingunaphakade, yintoni efanele ukubaluleka kakhulu kubo ngaphezu kokuba banyaniseke kuThixo wasemazulwini? Kuwo onke amaphakade, uThixo wayenawo amagorha okuziphatha, kanti unawo nangoku—abo, njengoYosefu noEliya noDaniyeli, bangenazintloni ukuvuma ngokwabo ukuba bangabantu baKhe abayinqobo. Intsikelelo yaKhe ekhethekileyo ihamba nemisebenzi yabantu abasebenzayo, abantu abangayi kukhutshwa endimeni yomsebenzi, abaya kuthi, ngamandla ezulu, babuze, “Ngubani ongakwicala likaYehova?” (Eksodus 32:26, KJV), abantu abangayi kuphelela nje ekubuzeni, kodwa abaya kuthi, kwabo bakhethe ukuzibandakanya nabantu bakaThixo, mabeze phambili babonakalise, nokungenakuphazanywa, ukunyaniseka kwabo kuKumkani wookumkani, neNkosi yeenkosi. Abantu abanjalo bazenza iintando zabo namacebo abo abe ngaphantsi komthetho kaThixo. Umsebenzi wabo kukuzuza ukukhanya okuphuma eLizwini bakuyeke kukhanye buye ehlabathini ngemitha ecacileyo ethe chu kancinane. Ukunyaniseka kuThixo sisaci sabo.AN 148.1

Kuthe ngexesha uIsrayeli eKarmele ethandabuza ethingaza, ilizwi likaEliya layichitha inzolo: “Kusele mna ndedwa umprofeti kaYehova; ke abakaBhahali abaprofeti ngamakhulu amane anamanci amahlanu amadoda. Masinikwe iinkunzi ezintsha zibe mbini, bazinyulele ke enye inkunzi entsha, bayityatye, bayibeke phezu kwenkuni, bangafaki mlilo; nam ndiyilungise enye inkunzi entsha, ndiyibeke phezukweenkuni, ndingafakimlilo.Nize ninqule igamalothixo wenu, mna ndinqule igama likaYehova; athi uThixo othe waphendula ngomlilo, abe nguye uThixo.”AN 148.2

Isiphakamiso sikaEliya sisengqondweni kangangokuba abantu abakwazi kakuhle ukusiphepha, baza baba nesibindi sokuphendula bathi, “Lihle elo lizwi.” Abaprofeti bakaBhahali abazange bakwazi ukuwaphakamisa amazwi abo bephikisa; waza wathetha ebhekisa kubo uEliya ebayalela esithi, “Zinyuleleni inkunzi entsha ibe nye, nizenzele kuqala; ngokuba nibaninzi nina; ninqule igama lothixo wenu, ningafaki mlilo.”AN 149.1

Bebonakala benesibindi, bedelela ngaphandle, kodwa benoloyiko ezintliziyweni zabo ezinobutyala, ababingeleli bobuxoki balungisa isibingelelo sabo, babeka phezu kwaso iinkuni nexhoba; baze baqala ngemithandazo yabo. Izikhalo zabo ezikrasayo zivakala ngokuvakala kuwo onke amahlathi neendawo eziphezulu ezingqongileyo, ngexesha bebiza igama lothixo wabo, besithi, “Bhahali, siphendule.” Ababingeleli barhangqa isibingelelo, bathi ngokuxhuma nokuzibhija nokukhwaza, bezixhwitha iinwele bezicenta emizimbeni, bambongoza uthixo wabo ukuba abancede.AN 149.2

Intsasa iyadlula, imini enkulu iyeza, kanti ke, akukabikho nto ithi uBhahali uyakuva ukukhala kwabalandeli bakhe abalahlekileyo. Akukho lizwi, akukho mpendulo kwimithandazo yabo yobugeza. Umbingelelo uhleli ungadliwanga.AN 149.3

Ngeli xesha beqhuba nemithandazo yabo ephambeneyo, ababingeleli abanobuqhophololo bahlelele ukuzama ukwenza macebo wambi abanokuthi ngawo bawuphembe umlilo osesibingelelweni khon’ ukuze babenze abantu ukuba bakholwe ukuba umlilo uphuma ngqo kuBhahali. Phofu ke, uEliya uqwalasele yonke intshukumo; baza ababingeleli, belindele ithemba elingekhoyo lethuba elithile lokukhohlisa, baqhubeka nokwenza iinkonzo zabo ezingenangqondo.AN 149.4

“Kwathi emini enkulu, uEliya wadlala ngabo, esithi, Nqulani ngezwi elikhulu, ngokuba enguthixo; ingabi usacinga, ingabi uthe gu bucala, ingabi useluhambeni; ingabi mhlawumbi ulele, unokuba avuswe. Banqula ngezwi elikhulu ke, bazicenta ngokwesiko labo ngamakrele nangezikhali, lada latsaza igazi kubo. Kwathi emveni kwemini enkulu, baprofeta kwada kwesa ekunyusweni komnikelo wokudla wangokuhlwa; akwabakho uphendulayo, akwabakho ubeke indlebe.”AN 150.1

Kwakuya kumvuyisa kakhulu uSathana ukuba wayenokubanceda abo wayebakhohlisile, nababezinikele emsebenzini wakhe. Wayeza kuwuthumela umbane ngovuyo ukuba utshise umbingelelo. Noko ke, uYehova umbekele imida uSathana, wawabamba amandla akhe, kwaye asingawo onke amacebo otshaba anokuthumela intlantsi nokuba inye esibingelelweni sikaBhahali.AN 150.2

Ekugqibeleni, amazwi abo etshile kukukhwaza, iingubo zabo zingcolile ligazi lamanxeba abazenze wona, ababingeleli baphelelwa lithemba. Impambano yona ingathothanga, ngoku baya bahlanganisa kwizibongozo zabo nezithuko ezibi kuthixo wabo welanga, waye uEliya ebukele njalo ngomonde; kuba uyazi ukuba, ukuba naliphi na icebo lababingeleli lingaphumelela ekutshiseni isibingelelo sabo ngomlilo, angadlavulwa kwangoko abe zizicwili.AN 150.3

Ilanga liya ekutshoneni. Abaprofeti bakaBhahali banxaphile, batyhafile, badidekile. Lo ucebisa oku, lowa acebise okuya, bada ekugqibeleni bayiyeka imizamo yabo. Imikhwazo nezithuko zabo zazingasavakali phezu kweKarmele. Bephelelwe lithemba, boyiswa lukhuphiswano.AN 150.4

Imini yonke abantu babukele imiboniso yababingeleli ababhidekileyo. Bakubonile ukuxhuma kwabo okundlongondlongo bejikeleza isibingelelo, ngokungathi bangabamba imitha etshisayo yelanga ukuba ifeze injongo yabo. Bakhangele ngokoyika ukuzicenta okoyikekayo abazenze kona ababingeleli, banethuba lokucinga ngobuyatha bonqulo lwezithixo. Abaninzi esixukwini badiniwe kukubonakaliswa kobukho beedemon,ngoku balindele ngomdla omkhulu iintshukumo zikaEliya.AN 151.1

Lixesha lomnikelo wokudla wangokuhlwa, uEliya ubiza abantu, “Sondelani kum.” Bathi xa besondela bengcangcazela, wakhangela kwisibingelelo esidilikileyo apho abantu bakha banqula uThixo wasezulwini khona, wasilungisa. Kuye, le nqumba yeendonga ixabiseke kakhulu ngaphezu kwazo zonke izibingelelo ezihle kakhulu zobuhedeni.AN 151.2

Ngokusakha esi sibingelelo sakudala, uEliya wabonisa ukuwuhlonipha kwakhe umnqophiso awawenzayo uYehova noIsrayeli xa babewela iYordan bengena eZweni leDinga. Wakhetha “amatye alishumi elinambabini, ngokwenani lezizwe zoonyana bakaYakobi, . . . wakha . . . isibingelelo egameni likaYehova.”AN 151.3

Ababingeleli bakaBhahali abadanileyo, benxaphile yimizamo yabo elilize, balindela ukubona ukuba uza kwenza ntoni uEliya. Bamthiyile umprofeti ngokucebisa ngovavanyo olutyhile ubuthakathaka nokungakwazi kwenza nto koothixo babo; kodwa baye bewoyika amandla akhe. Abantu, nabo besoyika, beqhiphuk’ umbilini kukulindela, babukela ngexesha uEliya eqhubeka nokulungiselela kwakhe. Ukuziphatha okuzolileyo komprofeti kumi kuchasene kakhulu nempambano yobudenge obugqithisileyo yabalandeli bakaBhahali.AN 151.4

Sakuba sigqityiwe isibingelelo, umprofeti wenza umsele osijikelezileyo, waza wathi, akuba ezibekile iinkuni ngendlela, eyilungisile nenkunzana, ubeka ixhoba phezu kwesibingelelo aze ayalele abantu ukuba bazalise umbingelelo kunye nesibingelelo ngamanzi.“Zalisaniimiphanda ibeminengamanzi,” wayalela, “niwagalele phezu kwedini elinyukayo, naphezu kweenkuni; wathi, Phindani okwesibini; baphinda okwesibini. Wathi, Phindani okwesithathu; baphinda okwesithathu. Ahamba amanzi ngeenxa zonke esibingelelweni; wawuzalisa nomsele ngamanzi.”AN 151.5

Ebakhumbuza abantu ngokreqo olukade luqhubeka olwavuselela ingqumbo kaYehova, uEliya uyababiza abantu ukuba bazithobe iintliziyo zabo babuyele kuThixo wooyise, ukuze isiqalekiso esiphezu kwelizwe lakwaIsrayeli sisuswe. Emva koko, eguqa phambi kukaThixo ongabonwayo, uphakamisa izandla zakhe ezibhekisa ezulwini enze umthandazo olula. Ababingeleli bakaBhahali babekhwazile, baxhapha amagwebu bexhuma, kususela kwakusasa kakhulu lada lasondela ekutshoneni ilanga; kodwa, njengokuba ethandaza uEliya, akukho mitswino yempambano ivakalayo encotsheni yeKarmele. Uthandaza ngokungathi uyazi ukuba uYehova ukho apho, ebukele umboniso, ephulaphule ukukhunga kwakhe. Abaprofeti bakaBhahali bebethandaze ndlongondlongo, into engahlangeneyo. UEliya wenza umthandazo olula onenzondelelo, emcela uThixo ukuba abonise ubukhulu baKhe phezu kukaBhahali, khon’ ukuze uIsrayeli ancedwe abuyele kuYe.AN 152.1

“Thixo ka-Abraham, kaIsake, kaIsrayeli,” wabongoza umprofeti, “namhla makwaziwe ukuba nguwe uThixo kwaIsrayeli; ukuba ndingumkhonzi wakho mna; ukuba ndizenze zonke ezi zinto ngelizwi lakho. Ndiphendule, Yehova, ndiphendule, bazi aba bantu ukuba wena Yehova unguThixo, ukuba uyiguqulele kuwe intliziyo yabo.”AN 152.2

Inzolo, enzima ngokwesidima sayo, yabafikela bonke. Ababingeleli bakaBhahali bangcangcazela luloyiko. Beqonda ubutyala babo,balindelaimpindezeloekhawulezileyo.AN 152.3

Uthe egqiba nje ukuthandaza uEliya, aye amalangatye omlilo, afana nokutshawuza kombane obengezelayo, ephuma ezulwini, ehla phezu kwesibingelelo esakhiweyo, awudla umbingelelo, awakhotha amanzi emseleni, atshayela namatye esibingelelo. Ukubengezela kwelangatye kukhanyisa intaba, kuphandla amehlo esihlwele. Ezintilini ezantsi, apho isininzi sibukele sikhona yonke intshukumo yabo baphezulu, izibilini ziphezulu lixhala, ukuhla komlilo kubonakala kakuhle ngokucacileyo, bonke bamangalisiwe yinto abayibonayo. Ifana nentsika yomlilo eyathi, kuLwandle oluBomvu, yahlula abantwana bakwaIsrayeli kumkhosi wamaYiputa.AN 153.1

Abantu entabeni bathoba ngoloyiko phambi koThixo ongabonwayo. Abakwazi ukuqhubeka nokuwujonga umlilo othunyelwa liZulu. Bayoyika kuba hleze nabo badliwe bagqitywe; bathi, belubonile uxanduva lwabo lokumvuma uThixo kaEliya njengoThixo wooyise, abanetyala lokungamhloneli, bakhala kunye kwanga lilizwi elinye, “UYehova nguye uThixo, uYehova nguye uThixo.” Sivakala sicace ngendlela eyothusayo, isikhalo siduma phezu kwentaba siyokuvakala entilini ezantsi. Ekugqibeleni uIsrayeli uvusiwe, engakhohliswanga, eguquka. Ekugqibeleni abantu bayayibona ukuba nkulu kwendlela abangamzukisanga ngayo uThixo. Isimilo sonqulo lukaBhahali, xa sithelekiswa nenkonzo enengqondo efunwa nguThixo wenene, lumi lutyhileke ngokupheleleyo. Abantu bayabuvuma ubulungisa nenceba kaThixo ekubambeni umbethe nemvula bade babuyiselwe ekulivumeni igama laKhe. Bakulungele ngoku ukuvuma ukuba uThixo kaEliya ungaphezu kwayo yonke into esisithixo.AN 153.2

Ababingeleli bakaBhahali bakubona bezaliswe lixhala ukutyhileka okumangalisayo kwamandla kaYehova. Phofu, kuthi nasekudidekeni kwabo, naphambi kobuqaqawuli bezulu, bala ukuguquka ekwenzeni kwabo okubi. Ngaloo ndlela babonakalisa ukulungela kwabo intshabalalo. Ukuze uIsrayeli oguqukayo akhuseleke ekutsalweni ngabo babafundise ukunqula uBhahali, uEliya uyalelwa nguYehova ukuba atshabalalise aba bafundisi bobuxoki. Umsindo wabantu sele uvusiwe ngakwiinkokeli zolwaphulo-mthetho; ngoko uthi uEliya akunika umyalelo, othi, “Babambeni abaprofeti bakaBhahali; makungasindi namnye kubo,” baye bekulungele ukuthobela. Bababamba abaprofeti, babasa kumlanjana iKishon, baza apho, phambi kokuba iphele imini eya phawula ukuqala kohlaziyo olupheleleyo, abafundisi bakaBhahali babulawa. Akukho noyedwa oyekiweyo ukuba aphile.AN 154.1