21—Umsebenzi Wokugqibela KaElisha

Ebizelwe emsebenzini wokuprofeta esalawula uAhabhi, uElisha kwafuneka aphile ade abone iinguquko ezininzi zisenzeka ebukumkanini bakwaIsrayeli. Izihlabo ngezihlabo zawa phezu kukaIsrayeli ngexesha lokulawula kukaHazayeli waseSiriya, nowayethanjiswelwe ukuba abe ngumbandezeli kwisizwe esikreqileyo. Amanyathelo angqongqo ohlaziyo awathatyathwa nguYehu aba nesiphumo sokubulawa kwayo yonke indlu ka-Ahabhi. Kwiimfazwe ezaziqhubeka namaSiriya, uYehowahazi, owalandela uYehu, walahlekwa zezinye izixeko ezikwimpuma yeYordan. Okwexesha elide, kwabonakala ngokungathi iSiriya ingalufumana ulawulo lwabo bonke ubukumkani. Noko kunjalo, uhlaziyo olwaqalwa nguEliya lwaza lwaqhutyelwa phambili nguElisha, lwabenza abaninzi ukuba baquqele kuYehova. Emva kokuba zishiyiwe izibingelelo zikaBhahali, kwathi kancinane nangokuqinisekileyo, injongo kaThixo yaya izaliseka ebomini babo banyula ukumkonza ngentliziyo yabo yonke.AN 254.1

Kwakungenxa yothando waKhe kuIsrayeli ogwilikayo awathi uThixo wawavumelaamaSiriyaukuba awabandezele.Kwakungenxa yemfesane kwabo bamandla abo okuziphatha ayebuthakathaka ukuze [uThixo] amnyuse uYehu ukuba abulale uIzebhele owayekhohlakele kunye nayo yonke indlu ka-Ahabhi. Kwakho, ngokwazelelela kwenceba yaKhe, ababingeleli bakaBhahali nabaka-Ashtoreti basuswa zathi nezibingelelo zabo zadilizwa. UThixo, ngobulumko baKhe, wabona ngenx’ engaphambili ukuba, ukuba isihendo sithe sasuswa, abanye baya kubushiya ubuhedeni babukhangelise ezulwini ubuso babo, ngoko kwakungenxa yeso sizathu ukuze [uThixo] avumele intlekele emva kwentlekele ukuba zibawele. Izohlwayo zaKhe zazixutywe nenceba; yaza yathi yakuba ifeziwe injongo yaKhe, umsinga wawujikela ngakwicala labo baya bafunda ukuquqela kuYe.AN 255.1

Lo gama impembelelo yokulungileyo neyobubi zazilwela ukuba phambili, noSathana esenza konke okusemandleni akhe ukuba ayiqoshelise intshabalalo awayenza ngexesha lokulawula kuka-Ahabhi noIzebhele, uElisha waqhubeka nokuthwala obakhe ubungqina. Waqubisana nenkcaso, ukanti kwakungekho unokuphikisana namazwi akhe. Kubo bonke ubukumkani, wayephakanyisiwe ehlonelwa. Baninzi ababesiza kufuna ingcebiso kuye. Ngexesha wayesaphila uIzebhele, uYoram, ukumkani wakwaIsrayeli, wafuna kuye ingcebiso; nangexesha awayekhe waseDamasko, wahanjelwa ngabathunywa abavela kuBhenhadadi, ukumkani waseSiriya, owalangazelela ukwazi ukuba isifo anaso kuye singakhokelela ekufeni na. Kuko konke, umprofeti wathwala ubungqina obuthembekileyo ngexesha, kumacala onke, inyaniso yayigqwethwa nesininzi esikhulu sabantu sikuvukelo oluphandle ngakuThixo.AN 255.2

UThixo akazange amshiye umthunywa waKhe amnyulileyo. Kwesinye isiganeko, ngexesha lohlaselo lwamaSiriya, ukumkani waseSiriya efuna ukutshabalalisa uElisha ngenxa yezenzo zakhe zokwazisa ukumkani wakwaIsrayeli ngenjongo ezazicetywa lutshaba lwakhe. Ukumkani waseSiriya wathethana nabakhonzi bakhe, esithi, “Kuya kuba sekuthini, nasekuthini, apho ndolalisa khona.” Eli cebo latyhilwa nguYehova kuElisha, nowaya “wathumela umfo wakwaThixo kukumkani wakwaIsrayeli, esithi, Zigcine, ungegqithi kulaa ndawo ngokuba ama-Aram [Siriya] ehla khona. Ukumkani wamaIsrayeli wathumela kuloo ndawo, abemxelele yona umfo wakwaThixo, embonisa; wazikhusela khona, akwaba kanye nakabini.AN 256.1

“Yabhabhama intliziyo yokumkani wakwa-Aram (Siriya) yiloo nto; wabiza abakhonzi bakhe, wathi kubo, Anindixeleli na ukuba ngubani na kuthi apha, ongakukumkani wakwaIsrayeli? Wathi omnye wakubakhonzi bakhe, Asisithi, nkosi yam kumkani; ke nguElisha, umprofeti okwaIsrayeli, oxelela ukumkani wamaIsrayeli amazwi owathetha usengontsini yakho yokulala.”AN 256.2

Ezimisele ukumtshabalalisa umprofeti, ukumkani wamaSiriya wayalela wathi, “Yiyani nikhangele apho akhona; ndithumele, ndimthabathe.” Umprofeti wayeseDotan; wathi akukuxelelwa oko, ukumkani wathumela khona “amahashe, neenqwelo zokulwa, nempi eninzi; baya ebusuku, bawungqinga umzi. Wavuka kusasa umlungiseleli womfo wakwaThixo, wesuka waphuma, nantso impi iwujikelezile umzi, inamahashe neenqwelo zokulwa.”AN 256.3

Wathi enoloyiko, umkhonzi kaElisha wamkhangela emphathele ezo ndaba. “Yoo, nkosi yam!” watsho, “siya kuthini na?” “Musa ukoyika;” waphendula watsho umprofeti, “ngokuba baninzi abangakuthi, ngaphezu kwabangakubo.” Wathi ngoko, ukuze umkhonzi azazele oku, “wathandazauElisha,wathi, Yehova, khawuwavule amehlo akhe, abone.” “UYehova wawavula amehlo omfana lowo wabona, nantso intaba izele ngamahashe neenqwelo zokulwa zomlilo, zimjikelezile uElisha.”AN 256.4

Phakathi komkhonzi kaThixo nemikhosi ejikelezileyo yotshaba kwakukho iqela lezithunywa zezulu. Zazize ngamandla amakhulu, zingaze kutshabalalisa, zingaze kufuna mbeko, kodwa zize ukuze zirhangqe zilungiselele abo babuthakathaka nabangenakuzinceda bakaYehova. Xa abantu bakaThixo befike kwiindawo ezimxinwa, kubonakala ngokungathi akukho kusinda kubo, nguYehova kuphela amabaxhomekeke kuYe.AN 257.1

Wathi wakusondela phambili ngesibindi umkhosi wamaSiriya, ungazi nto ngemikhosi engabonwayo yasezulwini, “wathandaza uElisha kuYehova, wathi, Khawulubethe olu hlanga ngobumfama. Wababetha ke ngobumfama, ngokwelizwi likaElisha. Wathi uElisha kubo, Asiyiyo indlela le, asinguwo mzi lo; ndilandeleni, ndinise kuloo ndoda niyifunayo; wabasa kwaSamari.AN 257.2

“Kwathi, bakufika kwaSamari, wathi uElisha, Yehova wavule amehlo aba bantu, babone. Wavula uYehova emehlo abo, babona. Nanku, bephakathi komzi wakwaSamari. Wathi ukumkani wakwaIsrayeli kuElisha, akubabona, Ndibaxabele na, ndibaxabele na, bawo? Wathi yena, Uze ungabaxabeli. Obathimbileyo ngekrele lakho nesaphetha sakho ubungabaxabelayo na? Beka isonka namanzi phambi kwabo, badle, basele, bahambe, bayeenkosini yabo.” Wabenzela isidlo esikhulu; badla basela; wabandulula, bahamba baya enkosini yabo.” Khangela: 2 Kumkani 6.AN 257.3

Kwaba lixesha emva koku, uIsrayeli ekhululekile kuhlaselo lwamaSiriya. Kwathi kamva, emva kokuyalela okunamandla kukakumkani owayezimisele, uHazayeli, imikhosi yamaSiriya yiyijikeleza iSamari yayingqonga. UIsrayeli akazange wakha wasengxingweni yokungqingwa enzima ngolu hlobo loku ukungqingwa. Izono zooyise ngokwenene zazifikelele ekubeni zohlwaywe kubantwana nabantwana babantwana. Ububi bendlala eyayinde babumtyhalele ukumkani wakwaIsrayeli kumgangatho wokuphelelwa lithemba, waza uElisha wavakalisa kwangaphambili ukuba ngemini elandelayo baya kuhlangulwa.AN 258.1

Kwathi xa kuthi qheke ukusa ngemini elandelayo, iNkosi “yawenza umkhosi wama-Aram ukuba uve isandi seenqwelo zokulwa;” bathi, bethiwe hlasi kukoyika, “besuka ke, basaba ngongcwalazi, bazishiya iintente zabo, namahashe abo, nama-esile abo eminqubeni, injengoko ibinjalo,” inemfumba yokutya obekugciniwe. Babaleka “basabisa ubomi babo,” abaphumla bada baya kuwela iYordan.AN 258.2

Ngobo busuku bokubhaca, amadoda amane aneqhenqa awasesangweni lesixeko, ephelelwe lithemba ngenxa yendlala, athi mawatyelele inkampu yamaSiriya azinikezele kwinceba yabangqingi, ethembe ukuthi angabenza babe novelwano baze babanike ukutya. Into eyawamangalisayo xa engena enkampini, afumana “kusenxiweni.” Kwathi kuba kungekho mntu wokuwaphatha kakubi okanye wokuwanqanda, “angena kwenye intente, adla, asela, athabatha apho isilivere negolide neengubo aya kuziqhusheka; abuya, angena kwenye intente, athabatha nakhona, aya kuqhuseka. Yathi enye kwenye, Asilungisi; le mini yimini yeendaba ezilungileyo, sithe cwaka nje.” Akhawuleza abuyela esixekweni neendaba ezilungileyo. Laba likhulu ixhoba; kwakuninzi kakhulu okufunyanwayo kangangokuba ngemini elandelayo “iseha yomgubo ocoliweyo yayeyeshekele, iiseha ezimbini zerhasi zazezeshekele, ngokwelizwi likaYehova” ngomprofeti wakhe wakwaIsrayeli. Khangela: 2 Kumkani 7:5-16.AN 258.3

Yaqhubeka ke ngoko indoda kaThixo ukusebenza iminyaka ngeminyaka, isondela kufuphi ebantwini isebenza ngokuthembekileyo, kuthi nangamaxesha entlekele ime ngakwicala likakumkani ingumcebisi olumkileyo. Iminyaka emide yokuhlehlela kunqulo lwezithixo ziinkokheli kunye nabantu ababesenza imisebenzi ethiyekileyo; ithunzi lobumnyama bokreqo lisabonakala kuyo yonke indawo, kunjalo, apha naphaya babekho abo baqinayo, bakwala ukugoba idolo kuBhahali. Njengoko uElisha wayeqhubeka nokwenza umsebenzi wakhe wohlaziyo, baninzi abahlangulwayo ebuhedenini, baza aba bakufunda ukonwaba ekumkhonzeni uThixo oyinyaniso. Umprofeti wavuyiswa yile mimangaliso yobabalo lwezulu, waza watshiseka lulangazelelo olukhulu lokufikelela kubo bonke ababenyanisekile entliziyweni.AN 259.1

Kuyo yonke indawo awayekuyo, wasebenza nzima ukuba abe ngumfundisi wobulungisa. Ngokokubona komntu, inkangeleko yobukho bemvuselelo yasemoyeni esizweni yayibonakala ingenalo ithemba njengokuba nanamhla injalo imbonakalo phambi kwabakhonzi bakaThixo abasebenza nzima kwiindawo ezimnyama zomhlaba. Kanti ke kunjalo, ibandla likaKristu lisisenzeleli sokuvakalisa inyaniso; linikwe amandla nguYe ukuba lenze umsebenzi okhethekileyo; kwaye ukuba linyanisekile kuThixo, lithobela imithetho yaKhe, kuya kuhlala ngaphakathi kwaloukutshatshela kwamandlaezulu. Ukuba linganyaniseka ekwayameni kwalo kumbuso waKhe, akukho gunya linokumelana nalo. Imikhosi yotshaba ayingekhe ikwazi ukuligubungela kwanje ngokuba umququ ungekhe ume phambi kwesaqhwithi. Kubekwe phambi kwebandla ukuvela kokukhanya kwemini ebengezelayo enobuqaqawuli, ukuba nje lingambatha ingubo yobulungisa bukaKristu, libuye ekuthobeleni ihlabathi.AN 259.2

UThixo ubiza abo bathembekileyo, bakholelwayo kuYe, ukuba bakhuthaze abo bangakholelwayo nabaphelelwe lithemba. Buyelani kuYehova, nina babanjwa bethemba. Funani amandla kuThixo, uThixo ophilayo. Bonisani ukholo olungahexiyo, noluthobekileyo kumandla aKhe nasekulungeleni kwaKhe ukusindisa. Xa sithi ngokholo, sibambelele kumandla aKhe, uya kuguqula, aguqule ngokumangalisayo, eyona mbonakalo engenathemba neyona ityhafisayo. Uya kukwenza oku ukuze kuzukiswe igama laKhe.AN 260.1

Lonke ixesha uElisha wayesakwazi ukuhamba aye kwiindawo ngeendawo ebukumkanini bakwaIsrayeli, waqhubeka ukuba negalelo ekwakhiweni kwezikolo zabaprofeti. Naphina apho wayekhona, uThixo waye naye, emnika amazwi amakawathethe namandla okwenza imimangaliso. Kwesinye isiganeko, “bathi oonyana babaprofeti kuElisha, Khawubone le ndawo, sihleli kuyo. Makhe siye eYordan, sizithabathele khona elowo umqadi ube mnye, sizenzele khona indawo yokuhlala.” 2 Kumkani 6:1, 2. UElisha wahamba nabo ukuya eYordan, ebakhuthaza ngobukho bakhe, ebafundisa, ade enze nommangaliso ukubanceda emsebenzini wabo. “Kwathiomnyeewisaumqadi, intsimbiyeyela emanzini; wathi, Yoo, nkosi yam! Ibibolekiwe. Wathi umfo wakwaThixo, Iwe phi na? Wambonisa loo ndawo. Wanqumla uluthi, waluphosa khona. Yadada intsimbi. Wathi, Yithabathe. Wasolula isandla sakhe, wayithabatha.” Iindima 5-7.AN 260.2

Waba nefuthe elikhulu kangako umsebenzi wakhe, ikwathe saa ngolo hlobo impembelelo yakhe, kangangokuba, wathi naxa sele elele emandlalweni wokufa, nokumkani owayeselula uYehohashe, umnquli wezithixo owayengenayo nencinane intlonipho ngakuThixo, wabona kumprofeti uyise kuIsrayeli, wavuma ukuba ubukho bakhe phakathi kwabo babuxabiso elikhulu ngexesha lenkathazo ngaphezu kwemikhosi yamahashe neenqwelo zokulwa. Ingxelo ithi: “Ke kaloku uElisha wayesifa sisifo awayeza kufa siso. Wehla uYehohashe ukumkani wakwaIsrayeli, waya kuye, walila phambi kwakhe, wathi, Bawo, bawo, nqwelo yokulwa yakwaIsrayeli nabamahashe bakhe!” 2 Kumkani 13:14. Kwimiphefumlo emininzi eyayikhathazekile edinga uncedo umprofeti wayedlala indawo kabawo olumkileyo nonemfesane.AN 261.1

Wathi nakwesi isiganeko, akayiyekela indodana engamoyikiyo uThixo eyayimi phambi kwakhe, nangona yayingasifanelanga kakhulu isikhundla esibalulekileyo eyayikuso, kodwa noko ikudinga ukucetyiswa. UThixo, ngokwazelelela kwaKhe, wayezisa kukumkani ithuba lokuhlangula ekusileleni kwexesha eladlulayo nokubeka ubukumkani bakhe kumhlaba olungileyo. Utshaba lwamaSiriya, nolwalumi kumhlaba wakwimpuma yeYordan, kwakufuneka lugxothiwe. Aphinda abonakalaliswa kwakhona amandla kaThixo ngenxa kaIsrayeli owayonile.AN 261.2

Umprofeti ofayo, wathi kukumkani, “Thabatha isaphetha neentolo.” UYehohashe wathobela. Wabuya wathi umprofeti, “Sityede isaphetha ngesandla sakho.” UYehohashe “wasityeda ngesandla sakhe; UElisha wabeka ezakheizandlaezandlenizokumkani, wathi, “Vulaifestile ngasempumalanga”—icala elalijonge ngakwizixeko ezazingaphesheya kweYordan ezazithinjwe ngamaSiriya. Wathi ukukumkani akuba eyivulile ifestile, uElisha wathi makatole. Lathi xa itolo litsawula libheka pha, umprofeti wafikelwa yimpefumlelo ukuba athi, “Huntshu, utolo losindiso lukaYehova! Utolo losindiso oluchase ama-Aram! Uyakutsho ngalo kuma-Aram! Uya kutsho ngalo kuma-Aram eAfeki ade aphele.”AN 262.1

Wajika umprofeti wavavanya ukholo lukakumkani. Wamyalela ukuba azithabathe iintolo, wathi, “Tola emhlabeni.” Watola kathathu ukumkani, wasibuyisa isandla sakhe. “Unge utsho izihlandlo zazihlanu, nokuba zithandathu;” watsho uElishaecaphukile; “ukuzeAN 262.2

ube uya kutsho kuma-Aram ade aphele; useluya kutsho kuma-Aram izihlando zibe zithathu kuphela.” 2 Kumkani 13:15-19.AN 262.3

Kukho apha isifundo sabo bonke abo babekwe kwizikhundla zentembeko. Xa uThixo evule indlela yokufezwa komsebenzi othile aze anike ingqinisekiso yempumelelo, isixhobo esinyuliweyo kufuneka senze konke okusemandleni aso ukuba senzeke isithembiso esinikiweyo. Ngokomlinganiselo wolangazelelo nokuzingisa othi wenziwe ngalo umsebenzi, iya kuba ngako nempumelelo enikwayo. UThixo unokusebenza imimangaliso kuphela xa beyenza indawo yabo ngamandla angenamikhinkqi. Ubiza abantu ukuba bazinikele emsebenzini waKhe abantu abakwazi ukuziphatha, abanothando olukhulu lwemiphefumlo, abanenzondelelo engatyhafiyo. Abasebenzi abanjalo abayi kuwufumana umsebenzi unzima kakhulu, kungekho mpumelelo ingenakuthembeka; baya kuqhubeka nokusebenza, bangothuswa nto, kude oko kubonakala ngathi ingakukoyiswa kujike kube luloyiso olukhulu. Nokuba ziindonga zeentolongo, okanye amaqonga okufela inkolo, akukho nanye into inokubajika kwinjongo yokusebenza nzima bekunye noThixo ekwakheni ubukumkani baKhe.AN 263.1

Ngecebiso nenkuthazo eyanikwa uYehohashe, waba uyaphela umsebenzi kaElisha. Lowo kwawa phezu kwakhe umlinganiselo womoya owawuphezu kukaEliya, wanyaniseka kwada kwasekupheleni. Akazange wathandabuza. Akazange walahlekwa kukuthembela kumandla kOnamandla Onke. Ngamaxesha onke, xa phambi kwakhe indlela yayibonakala ivaleke ngokupheleleyo, wayehleli enalo ukholo lokubheka phambili, waza uThixo wasiphakamisa isibindi sakhe wayivula indlela phambi kwakhe.AN 263.2

Akazange akuphiwe uElisha ukuyilandela inkosi yakhe ngenqwelo yomlilo. UYehova wavumela ukuba kuze phezu kwakhe ukufa okuthe ngcembe.Ngeeyure ezindezobuthakathaka bomntunokugula, ukholo lwakhe lwatshela kumadinga kaThixo, wasoloko ebona ukurhangqwa kwakhe zizithunywa zasezulwini zentuthuzelo noxolo. Njengoko wayebone kwiindawo eziphakamileyo zaseDothan ukujikelezwa yimikhosi yasezulwini, iinqwelo zomlilo zakwaIsrayeli kunye nabakhweli bazo, nangoku wayebuqonda ubukho beengelosi ezinovelwano, waza wakhuthazeka. Kubo bonke ubomi bakhe wayesebenzisa ukholo olomeleleyo, kwathi nangenxa yokuhambela phambili ekwazini ukubonelela kukaThixo nobubele benceba yaKhe, ukholo lwavuthwa ekubeni ahlale ethembele kuThixo wakhe, kwathi naxa ukufa kumfikele, waba ekulungele ukuphumla ekubulalekeni kwakhe.AN 264.1

“Kunqabile emehlweni kaYehova ukufa kwabakhe benceba.” Indumiso 116:15. “Ilungisa linehlathi ekufeni kwalo.” Imizekeliso 14:32. Ekunye nomdumisi, uElisha wayengakwazi ukuthi, enako konke ukuqiniseka, “UThixo uya kuwukhulula umphefumlo wam esandleni selabafileyo, ngokuba eya kundithabatha.” Indumiso 49:15. Wayenako ukuthi ezaliswe luvuyo, athi, “Ke nam ndiyazi ukuba umhlawuleli wam uhleli; engowokuphela, uya kusuka eme phezu kothuli lwehlabathi.” Yobhi 19:25. “Mna ndiya kububona ubuso bakho ndisebulungiseni; ndiya kwaneliswa sisithomo sakho ekuvukeni kwam.” Indumiso 17:15.AN 264.2