13—“Uyintoni na Apha?”

[Esi sahluko sisekwe ku-1 Kumkani 19:9-18.]

Ukuhlala kukaEliya eHorebhe, nangona kwakufihlakele emntwini, kwakusaziwa nguThixo; kwaye umprofeti odiniweyo notyhafileyo wayengashiywanga ukuba alwe yedwa namagunya obumnyama awayenzima phezu kwakhe. Ekungeneni komqolomba apho wayezimele khona uEliya, uThixo wahlangana naye, ngesithunywa esinamandla esathunyelwa ukuba sibuze ngeentswelo zakhe nokumcacisela ngenjongo yezulu ngoIsrayeli.AN 167.1

Ngaphandle kokuba uEliya ade athembele ngokupheleleyo kuThixo, wayengenakho ukuwugqiba umsebenzi wakhe kwabo babekhohliselwe ekunquleni uBhahali. Uloyiso olubalulekileyo kwiincopho zeKarmele lwayivula indlela yolunye uloyiso olukhulu; kanti ke, kumathuba amangalisayo awayevuleke phambi kwakhe, uEliya wajikwa kukoyika uIzebhele. Indoda yakwaThixo kufuneka yenziwe iqonde ubuthakathaka bemeko akuyo xa ithelekiswa nomhlaba owawulungile uYehova awayethanda ukuba abe kuwo.AN 167.2

UThixo wahlangana nomkhonzi waKhe odiniweyo ngombuzo othi, “Uyintoni na apha, Eliya?” Ndakuthumela kumlanjana iKerite, emva koko kwakumhlolokazi waseSarepta. Ndakuyalela ukuba ubuyele kuIsrayeli ume phambi kwababingeleli abanqula izithixo phezu kweKarmele, ndakubhinqisa amandla ukuba ukhokele inqwelo kakumkani ufike esangweni leYizereli. Ngubani ke okwenze waphaphatheka wasinga entlango? Unamsebenzi mni apha?AN 168.1

Ngomphefumlo okrakra, uEliya wakhala ebeka isikhalazo sakhe: “Ndenziwe likhwele ngenxa kaYehova, uThixo wemikhosi; ngokuba bawushiyile umnqophiso wakho oonyana bakaIsrayeli, izibingelelo zakho bazigungxula, abaprofeti bakho bababulala ngekrele; ndasala ndedwa; bafuna umphefumlo wam ke, ukuba bawukhuphe.”AN 168.2

Imbiza umprofeti ukuba awushiye umqolomba, ingelosi yamyalela ukuba eme phambi koYehova entabeni, aphulaphule ilizwi laKhe. “Nanko uYehova edlula, nomoya omkhulu onamandla uzikrazula iintaba, uziqhekeza iingxondorha phambi koYehova, engekho uYehova emoyeni lowo. Emveni komoya kwakho inyikima, akabakho uYehova enyikimeni. Emva kwenyikima kwabakho umlilo. Akabakho uYehova emlilweni; emveni komlilo kwabakho ulwandile lokuphephezela okuhle. Kwathi, akuva uEliya wabugqubuthela ubuso bakhe ngengubo yakhe enkulu, waphuma wema esangweni lomqolomba.”AN 168.3

Kwakungengazo izibonakalaliso zikhulu zamandla ezulu, kodwa “[nge]lizwi elipholileyo elincinane,” (KJV), awathi uThixo wakhetha ukuzityhila kumkhonzi waKhe. Wafuna ukumfundisa uEliya ukuba ayisoloko ingumsebenzi owenza umboniso omkhulu kakhulu eyona nto ibaluleke kakhulu ekufezeni injongo yaKhe. Logama uEliya elindele ukubonakala kukaYehova, isaqhwithi sadlula, imibane yatshawuza, nomlilo odlayo watshayela udlula; kodwa uThixo wayengekho kuko konke oku. Kamva kwafika ilizwi elipholileyo, elincinane, waza umprofeti wazigquma intloko phambi kobuso bukaYehova. Ukukhalaza kwakhe kwathuliswa, umoya wakhe wathomalaliswa, wadanjiswa. Waya wazi ngoku ukuba ukuthembela okuzolileyo, ukuxhomekeka okuqinileyo, kungamfumanela uncedo ngexesha lentswelo.AN 168.4

Asikuko ukuyibeka inyaniso kaThixo ngendlela yemfundo eninzi kakhulu okuthi kuwoyise kuwuguqule umphefumlo. Asibubo nabuciko okanye ukuzathuza kakuhle okufikelela ezintliziyweni zabantu, kodwa kungeempembelelo ezimnandi zikaMoya Oyingcwele, othi asebenze ngokuzolileyo ukanti, ngokuqinisekileyo, ekuguquleni nasekukhuliseni isimilo. Lilizwi elipholileyo elincinane likaMoya kaThixo elinamandla okuyiguqula intliziyo. “Uyintoni na apha, Eliya?” ilizwi labuza; waphinda umprofeti waphendula, “Ndenziwe likhwele ngenxa kaYehova, uThixo wemikhosi; ngokuba bawushiyile umnqophiso wakho oonyana bakaIsrayeli, izibingelelo zakho bazigungxula, abaprofeti bakho bababulala ngekrele; ndisele ndedwa; bafuna umphefumlo wam ke, ukuba bawukhuphe.”AN 169.1

UYehova wamphendula uEliya ngokuthi abenzi bokugwenxa abasayi kuze bangohlwaywa. Abantu kwakufuneka bekhethwe ngendlela eyodwa ukuba bazalisekise injongo yezulu ekohlwayweni kobukumkani bonqulo zithixo. Kwakukho umsebenzi onzima ekufuneka wenziwe, ukuze bonke banikwe ithuba lokuba beme elowo endaweni yakhe ngakwicala likaThixo oyinyaniso. NoEliya ngokwakhe kwakufuneka ebuyele kuIsrayeli, abelane nabanye ngomthwalo wokuzisa uhlaziyo.AN 169.2

“Hamba,” uYehova wamyalela uEliya, “ubuye ngendlela yakho, uye entlango yaseDamasko, uye uthambise uHazayeli, abe ngukumkani kumaIsrayeli; uthambise uElisha, unyana kaShafati waseAbhelemehola, abe ngumprofeti esikhundleni sakho. Kothi ke, athi osinde ekreleni likaHazayeli, abulawe nguYehu; athi osinde ekreleni likaYehu, abulawe nguElisha.”AN 170.1

UEliya wayecinga ukuba nguye yedwa kuIsrayeli owayenqula uThixo wenyaniso. Lowo ke, ufunda iintliziyo zabo bonke wamtyhilela umprofeti ukuba bakho abanye abathe, kwiminyaka emide yokreqo, bahlala benyanisekile kuYe. “Ke ndozishiyela,” watsho uThixo, “kwaIsrayeli isixhenxe samawaka, amadolo onke angaguqanga kuBhahali, imilomo yonke engamanganga.”AN 170.2

Kumava kaEliya ngaloo mihla yokutyhafa nokubonakala ngathi woyisiwe, zininzi izifundo ezinokukhutshwa , izifundo ezingaphezu kokuba zingaxatyiswa ngabakhonzi bakaThixo kweli xesha, selibonakala linjalo ukumka kokulungileyo. Ukreqo oluthe tshitshilili namhlanje luyafana nolo lwalumgubungele wonke uIsrayeli ngomhla womprofeti. Ekuphakanyisweni komntu ngaphezu kwezulu, ekudunyisweni kweenkokheli ezithandwayo, ekunqulweni kobutyebi, nasekuxabiseni iimfundiso zesayensi ngaphezu kweenyaniso zesityhilelo, izihlwele namhlanje zilandela uBhahali. Ukuthandabuza nokungakholwa zizinto ezenza impembelelo yazo ekhohlakeleyo phezu kweengqondo neentliziyo, baze abaninzi bamise, endaweni yemiyalelo kaThixo, iimbono zabantu. Ifundiswa elubala into yokuba sifike kwixesha apho ukucinga koluntu kufuneka kuphakanyisiwe ngaphezu kweemfundiso zeLizwi. Umthetho kaThixo, umgangatho wezulu wobulungisa, kuthiwa awulolutho. Utshaba lwayo yonke inyaniso lusebenza ngamandla enkohliso ukuwenza amadoda nabafazi ukuba bebeke izimiso zabantu apho kumele ukuba kubekho uThixo, nokuba balibale oko kwangcwaliselwa ulonwabo nosindiso loluntu.AN 170.3

Kanti ke olu kreqo, nangona selusasazeke kakhulu, aluzalisanga ilizwe lonke. Asingabo bonke elizweni abangenamthetho nabanesono; asingabo bonke abaye bema ngakwicala lotshaba. UThixo unamawaka angakhange aligobe idolo lawo kuBhahali, abaninzi abanqwenela ukuqonda ngokupheleleyo ngakumbi ngoKristu nomthetho, uninzi oluthemba naxa kungacaci ukuba uYesu uya kubuya kamsinyane ukuza kuphelisa ulawulo lwesono nokufa. Baninzi abebenqula uBhahali bengazi, kodwa uMoya kaThixo asazamana nabo.AN 171.1

Aba badinga uncedo lwabantu abo bathe bafunda ukumazi uThixo namandla elizwi laKhe. Kwixesha elinje, wonke umntwana kaThixo umele ukuba abandakanyeke ngokuphathekayo ekuncedeni abanye. Njengokuba abo banolwazi lwenyaniso yeBhayibhile bezama ukufuna amadoda nabafazi abalangazelela ukukhanya, iingelosi zikaThixo ziya kuba nabo. Apho sukuba zisiya khona iingelosi, akukho noyedwa omele ukoyika ukubheka phambili. Isiphumo samalinge abasebenzi abazinikeleyo, siya kuba ngabaninzi abaya kubuya ekunquleni izithixo beze ekunquleni uThixo ophilayo. Abaninzi baya kuyeka ukuhlonipha izimiso ezenziwe ngabantu koko beme bengenaloyiko ngakwicala likaThixo kunye nomthetho waKhe.AN 171.2

Kuninzi okuxhomekeke ekusebenzeni kwabo banyanisekileyo nabathembekileyo, nekuthi, ngenxa yesi sizathu uSathana abeke phambilionke amalinge akhe ukuba athintele injongo yezulu eya kwenziwa kwabo bathobelayo. Wenzaukubaabanye balahlekwe ngumbono womsebenzi wabo ophakamileyo nongcwele abathunywe wona, baze baneliswe ziziyolo zobu bomi. Ubakhokelela ukuba bahlale phantsi bonwabe, okanye, ngenxa yokuhle okukhulu kakhulu komhlaba, basuke kwiindawo apho bebeya kuba ngamandla okulungileyo. Abanye, ubenza ukuba babaleke ukutyhafiswa emsebenzini, ngenxa yenkcaso okanye intshutshiso. Bonke abo, iZulu libakhangela ngovelwano oluzele bububele. Kuye wonke umntwana kaThixo olizwi lakhe eluthe utshaba lwemiphefumlo lwaphumelela ukulithulisa, kubhekiswa umbuzo othi, “Uyintoni na apha?” Ndikuthume ukuba uhambe kulo lonke elimiweyo ushumayele iindaba ezilungileyo, ulungisele abantu imini kaThixo. Kutheni ulapha nje? Ngubani okuthumileyo?AN 172.1

Uvuyo olubekwe phambi kukaKristu, uvuyo olwamxhasa kumbingelelo nokuphatheka kakubi, yayiluvuyo lokubona aboni besindiswa. Olu vuyo lumele ukuba luvuyo lwakhe wonke ongumlandeli waKhe, inkuthazo kwibhongo lakhe. Abo bayiqondayo, nokuba kukangakanani na, into ethethwa kukuhlangulwa kubo nakubantu kunye nabo, baya kuzazi noko iintswelo zoluntu. Iintliziyo zabo ziya kuqhutywa luvelwano xa bebona ukuziphatha nobudwayi bamawaka aphantsi kwethunzi lentshabalalo, ekuthi xa kuthelekiswa nalo [uvelwano] kusuke ukuphatheka kakubi kwasenyameni kuthi shwaka kungabinto.AN 172.2

Kwiintsapho, njengakubantu ngabanye, umbuzo uyabuzwa, “Uyintoni na apha?” Kumabandla amaninzi kukho iintsapho ezifundiswe kakhulu ngeenyaniso zelizwi likaThixo, ezinokwandisa umhlaba wempembelelo yazo ngokuya kwiindawo eziswele ulungiselelo ezikwaziyo zona ukulwenza. UThixo ubiza iintsapho zamaKristu ukuba ziye kwiindawo ezimnyama zehlabathi zisebenzele, ngobulumkonangomonde, abo bagutyungelwe bubumnyama basemoyeni. Ukusabela kolu bizo kufuna umbingelelo womntu. Lo gama abaninzi belindele ukuba kususwe sonke isikhubekiso, imiphefumlo iyafa, ngaphandle kwethemba nangaphandle kukaThixo. Ngenxa yokuhle kwehlabathi, ngenxa yokuzuza ulwazi lwezesayensi, abantu bakulungele ukuya kwiindawo ezinezifo nokunyamezela ubunzima nokuhlupheka. Baphi abo balungele ukwenza ngokunjalo ngenxa yokuxelela abanye ngoMsindisi?AN 172.3

Ukuba, phantsi kweemeko ezinzima, abantu abanamandla kamoya, nafumana uxinzelelo olungaphezu kokuqonda, baze batyhafe baphelelwe lithemba, ukuba ngamanye amaxesha ababoni nto inqwenelekayo ebomini, ukuze babe nokuyikhetha, asinto ingaqhelekanga okanye entsha leyo. Bonke abo mabakhumbule ukuba omnye wabona baprofeti babomelele, wabalekela ukusindisa ubomi bakhe phambi kwengqumbo yomfazi owayevutha ngumsindo. Indoda eyimbacu, ediniweyo neqotywe luhambo, udaniso olunzima lutyumza umoya wayo, yacela ukuba mayife. Sekunjalo, kwakungexa ithemba lalimkile umsebenzi wobomi bayo ukhangelene nokoyiswa, eyathi yafunda esinye sezona zifundo zixabisekileyo ebomini bayo. Ngeyure yokona kuphelelwa ngamandla okukhulu yafunda ukudinga nokuba nokuthembela kuThixo phantsi kwezona meko zingavumiyo.AN 173.1

Abo bathi, bechitha amandla obomi babo kumsebenzi wokuzincama, basuke balingwe ukuba baziyekele ekuphelelweni lithemba nokungathembi, banakho ukufumana isibindi kumava kaEliya. Ukukhathalela okuqaphelayo kukaThixo, uthando lwaKhe, amandla aKhe, zizinto ezibonakalaliswa ngendlela eyodwa ngenxa yabakhonzi baKhe abo inzondelelo yabo isuka ingaqondwa okanye ingakhathalelwa, nabamacebiso abo nokuthethisa kwabo kudelelwayo, ithi nemizamo yabo yokuhlaziya ifumane imbuyekezo yentiyo nenkcaso.AN 173.2

Kungexesha lokuphelelwa ngamandla okukhulu xa kanye uSathana ehlasela umphefumlo ngezona zilingo zikhohlakeleyo. Yayiyindlela leyo kanye awathemba ukoyisa ngayo uNyana kaThixo; kuba ngale nkqubo yakhe wazuza uloyiso kaninzi ebantwini. Xa intando yenziwe buthakathaka nokholo lusilela, bathi abo bebemi beqinile ixesha elide nangesibindi kokulungileyo, basuke baziyekele ekulingweni. UMoses, edinwe kukuzula entlango nokungakholwa iminyaka engamashumi amane, waphuncula okomzuzwana ukubambelela kwakhe kuMandla angenaMda. Wasilela kanye emideni yeliZwe leDinga. Kwaba njalo nakuEliya. Lowo wayegcine ukuthembela kwakhe kuYehova ngexesha leminyaka yembalela nendlala, lowo wema engenaloyiko phambi koAhabhi, lowo wathi kulo lonke ilanga lemini enzima eKarmele wema phambi kwaso sonke isizwe sikaIsrayeli ekuphela kwengqina likaThixo oyinyaniso, ngomzuzwana wokudinwa wavumela ukoyika ukufa ukuba kuloyise ukholo lwakhe kuThixo.AN 174.1

Kunjalo nanamhlanje. Xa sirhangqwe yintandabuzo, sithingaziswa ziimeko, okanye sigculelwa yindlala okanye uxinzelelo, uSathana uzama ukushukumisa ukuthembela kwethu kuYehova. Kungelo xesha aye aveze phambi kwethu iimpazamo zethu aze asilinge ukuba singamthembi uThixo, sibe nengxaki ngothando lwaKhe. Uthembe ukusityhafisa akuqhawule ukubambelela kwethu kuThixo.AN 174.2

Abo bemi phambili edabini, baphenjelelwa nguMoya Oyingcwele ukuba benze umsebenzi okhethekileyo, baya kusoloko besiva kukho into ethe xibilili xa ubunzima bususiwe. Ukuphelelwa lithemba lunokulushukumisa nolona kholo lunamandla luqobe amandla eyona ntando izinzileyo. Noko kunjalo, uThixo uyaqonda, kwaye usenovelwano esathanda. Ufunda iinjongo nokuzindla kwentliziyo. “Ukulinda ngomonde, ukuthemba xa kukhangeleka kumnyama, sisifundo ekufuneka sifundwe ziinkokheli emsebenzini kaThixo. Izulu alisayi kuziphoxa ngomhla ombi wokuchaswa kwazo.AN 174.3

Akukho nto ebonakala ngathi ayinaluncedo, ukanti yomelele ngokwenene, ngathi ngumphefumlo oziva ungeyonto koko uxhomekeke ngokupheleleyo kuThixo. Asiyi kuphela kwabo bakwizikhundla zomthwalo omkhulu isifundo samava kaEliya sokufunda ngokutsha indlela yokuthembela kuThixo ngeyure yokulingwa. Lowo wayengamandla kaEliya unamandla ukuba amphakamise wonke umntwana waKhe olwayo, nokuba ubuthakathaka kangakanani. Kuye wonke umntu, ulindele ukunyaniseka, kwaye kuye wonke umntu unika amandla ngokwesidingo. Ngawakhe amandla, umntu akanawo amandla; kodwa ngamandla kaThixo angomelela ukuba aboyise ububi nokunceda abanye ukuba boyise. USathana akasayi kuze alizuze ithuba elihle kulowo umenza uThixo ukuba abe lukhuselo lwakhe. “Kuthiwe ngokubhekisele kum, KuYehova yedwa bubulungisa namandla.” Isaya 45:24.AN 175.1

MKristu kunye nam, uSathana uyabazi ubuthakathaka bakho; ngoko ke, tshela kuYesu. Xa uhleli eluthandweni lukaThixo, ungamelana nalo lonke uvavanyo. Ubulungisa bukaKristu kuphela bungakunika amandla okuthintela umsinga wobubi otshayela phezu kwehlabathi. Zisa ukholo kumava akho. Ukholo luwenza lula wonke umthwalo, lukhulule kuko konke ukudinwa. Ukwazelela kukaThixo okufihlakeleyo ngoku ungakusombulula ngokuthi uhlale uthembele kuThixo. Hamba ngokholo kwindlela ayikhombileyo.AN 175.2

Izilingo ziya kufika, kodwa bheka phambili. Oku kuya komeleza ukholo lwakho kukulungisele ukufanela umsebenzi. Iingxelo zembali engcwele zibhaliwe, hayi nje ukuba sifunde simangaliswe, kodwa ukuze olo kholo lunye lwaba neziqhamo kubakhonzi bakaThixo bakudala, lusebenze nakuthi. Ayisayi kuba yindlela enganeno ngokubonakala eya kuyisebenzisa iNkosi, naphina apho kukho iintliziyo zokholo eziya kuba ngamajelo amandla aKhe.AN 175.3

Kuthi, njengakuPetros, ilizwi liyathethwa, “USathana ubenibanga ukuba anele njengengqolowa. Ke mna ndikhungile ngawe, ukuba ukholo lwakho lungapheli.” Luka 22:31, 32. UKristu akasayi kuze abashiye abo wabafelayo. Singamshiya sigutyungelwe sisilingo, kodwa uKristu akasayi kuze emke kulowo awathi, ngenxa yakhe, wenza intlawulo ngobomi baKhe. Ukuba umbono wethu wasemoyeni ubungavuswa, besingabona imiphefumlo ithobe phantsi kwengcinezelo nomthwalo wentlungu, icinizeleke ngokwenqwelo phantsi komthwalo wezithungu, ilindele ukufa idakumbile. Besingazibona iingelosi ziphapha ngokukhawuleza ukusa uncedo kwaba balingwayo, zibuyisela emva imikhosi yobubi ebarhangqileyo, zizibeka iinyawo zabo kwisiseko esiqinileyo. Amadabi aliwa phakathi kwemikhosi emibini aqiniseke njengalawo aliwa yimikhosi yeli hlabathi, kwaye kwimiba yemfazwe yasemoyeni, zixhomekeke apho iziphelo.AN 176.1

Embonweni kamprofeti uHezekile, kwakukho imbonakalo yesandla ngaphantsi kwamaphiko ekherubhi. Oku kufundisa abakhonzi bakaThixo ukuba ngamandla ezulu anika impumelelo. Abo uThixo abasebenzisayo njengabathunywa akufuneki beve ngathi umsebenzi uxhomekeke kubo. Izidalwa eziphelelwayo aziyekelwa ukuba zithwale lo mthwalo woxanduva. Lowo ungozeliyo, ohlala esebenza ukuze afeze iinjongo zaKhe, uya kuwuhambisela phambili umsebenzi waKhe. Uya kuziphuthisa iinjongo zabantu abakhohlakeleyo azise isiphithiphithi kumacebiso abo baceba inkohlakalo ngakubantu baKhe. Lowo unguKumkani, uYehova wemikhosi, uhleli phakathi kweekherubhi, naphakathi kwembambano nengxubakaxaka yezizwe. Usabalusile abantwana baKhe. Xa iinqaba zokumkani ziya koyiswa, xa iintolo zengqumbo ziya kuhlaba zikrazule iintliziyo zeentshaba zaKhe, abantu baKhe baya kukhuseleka ezandleni zaKhe.AN 176.2