1, 2. Ni byahi ebyabya byabere omwa ngebe ya Eliya?

ELIYA mwathibitha omwa mbulha, omwirima inianemuwa ahisi. Abya awithe lhughendo lhuuli erihika e Yezreeli, kandi nibya isyakiri mulhwana. Aliwe, mwathibitha kutsibu kundi abya ‘kw’ebyalha bya Yehova.’ Abya isyali athabya n’akaghalha kanene ng’ako, kundi nibya mwathibitha amalhaba n’okwa syosabayiri esyabya sikakura eggali y’Omwami Ahabu!​—Soma 1 Abami 18:46.

² Okwa ndambi eyi, mwabya omwa nzira mw’iyuwene. Thalengekania Eliya akathibitha inianemusangulha amaghetse omwa busu bwiwe, iniane mulengekania n’okwa bithe byathabya omwa ngebe yiwe ebyabya ekiro ekyo. Ahathe erithika-thika eki mukyaletha olhukengerwa oku Yehova, Nyamuhanga wa Eliya n’okw’iramya ly’okwenene. Eliya mwabya isyanga thasyalhangira Ekithwe Karmeli aho akanganiraya eriramya lya Baali kwa ni ly’amabehi. Abaminyereri ba Baali mubaminyikalha kwa ni b’amabehi neryo mubithibwa. Neryo Eliya mwasaba Yehova erighunzaho ekyanda ekyabya ikyabirinubya ekithaka ahabw’emyaka isathu n’embindi. Embulha muyawa!​—1 Bam. 18:18-45.

3, 4. (a) Busana naki Eliya angabya imwathunga amaha awuwene akaya e Yezreeli? (b) Ni bibulyo byahi ebya thukendi lebya?

³ Eliya abere anemuthibitha, esyokilomita 30 eriya e Yezreeli, angabya iniabya inianemulengekania bingyi. Angabya imwalengekania athi lero abandu bakendi yisubamu. Athi mbwino na Ahabu akendi thwamu erileka eriramya lya Baali; iniakunga mukali wiwe, Yezebeli; kandi inialeka n’eriendererya abaghombe ba Nyamuhanga Yehova.

⁴ Emyatsi yamabya iyine mubya ngoku thwanzire, kikaleka ithwongera eribya n’amaha. Ithwangana lengekania thuthi ebindu bikendi ghenda bikuwana, obundi nibya thuthi sithwanga thasyabana ekitsibu ekikalire. Sikyanga thuswekya Eliya amabya imwayowa athya, kundi nayu ‘abya mundu ng’ithwe.’ (Yak. 5:17) Aliriryo omo kwenene, ebitsibu bya Eliya byabya isibiri byahwa. Kundi nibya, omwa saha nyike buyira aha mbere, Eliya abya iniakayabana ebikamwitha buba bunene, erimughunza amani, ebyanga lekire iniayisunza olhuholho.  Ni kyahi ekyabya kyabere kandi Yehova mwawathikya athi omuminyereri wiwe oyu erithasyabya n’erikirirya n’obuthubaha? Thuthalebya.

5. Ebyabya okwa Kithwe Karmeli, mubyanaleka Ahabu in’igha erisikya Yehova, kandi thukaminya thuthi?

⁵ Ahabu abere ahika e Yezreeli, mwanakangania athi abirihinduka? E Biblia yithi: ‘Neryo Ahabu mwabwira Yezebeli ebyosi ebya Eliya akolha, ngoku itha abaminyereri b’omwa muyali.’ (1 Bam. 19:1) Omwa bithiko-thiko ebyosi ebyakolhawa, Ahabu mwathalengekania n’oku Yehova, mwabithwalha nga ni ‘bya Eliya.’ Eki mukyakangania kwenene ku syali igha erisikya Yehova. Neryo mukali wiwe oyuwabya mw’omuthima w’erithuhulya mwakolhaki?

6. Yezebeli mwathuma oku Eliya k’omwatsi wahi, kandi amanyisayaki?

⁶ Yezebeli mwatsuruma kutsibu! Omw’ihithana linene mwathuma oku Eliya kw’omwatsi ono: ‘Esyonyamuhanga sinyikole eki, na kwilhaba aho namathendiyira engebe yawu eribya ng’engebe y’omughuma wa kubo omwa ngyakya oko ndambi ng’eno!’ (1 Bam. 19:2) Eri lyabya ihayira ery’er’itha omundu! Omw’eki, Yezebeli abya iniakalhahiraya athi kamwanya iniakwa amathend’itha Eliya okwa kiro ekyo akathuhulya busana n’abaminyereri ba Baali abithawa. Thalengekania omukwenda wa Yezebeli akabukya Eliya y’omwa thulho aho abya aghotsere e Yezreeli embulha iyinemuwa, erimubwira ebinywe by’eryubahisya ebi. Eki mukyahamba kithi oku Eliya?

7. Eryubahisya lya Yezebeli mulyahamba lithi oku Eliya, kandi mwakolhaki?

⁷ Eliya amabya imwalengekania athi mbwino erirwanisya eriramya lya Baali lya mahwa, amaha ayo mwahwa okwa ndambi eyo. Ebyabya mubithahindulha Yezebeli. N’abandi baminyereri ba Yehova bangyi babya ibabir’ithibwa omw’ihamulha lya Yezebeli, neryo Eliya abya iyukayakwamako. Eki mukyahamba kithi oku Eliya? E Biblia yithi: “Eliya mubaha.” Eliya mwanalengekania kutsibu okw’ithibwa nabi ngoku Yezebeli abya iniabirihaya? Amabya imwakikolha, iky’ekyaleka iniahwa amani. Kundi Eliya ‘mwasaya engebe yiwe’ omw’ithibitha.​—1 Bam. 18:4; 19:3.

8. (a) Petero abya athi nga Eliya? (b) Ni somo lyahi erya thuk’ighira oku Eliya na Petero?

⁸ Omwa bandu ababya bawithe erikirirya, Eliya siyo musa oyuwubaha. N’omukwenda Petero mwanabya athya. Ng’eky’erileberyako, omughulhu Yesu abwira Petero athi athandayire okwa maghetse ase ey’ali, omukwenda oyu mwatsuka ‘erisamalira erihunga.’ Neryo mubaha amatsuka erithobera. (Soma Matayo 14:30.) Kwesi Eliya na  Petero eribya bathya kikathweghesaya erisomo likulhu. Thwamabya thwanzire erithendihwa amani, isithwahweraya amalengekania wethu okwa bikathubahisaya. Thutholere ithwahira amalengekania wethu oko Yukathuha amaha n’akaghalha.

9. Olhughendo lhwa Eliya lhwabya lhuthi, kandi mwayowa athi?

⁹ Busana n’eryubaha, Eliya mwathibitha esyokilomita nga 150 erihika e Beri-seba, e tawuni eyabya okwa muthano w’ekabuno owe Yuda. Eyo yabya asighire omutheya wiwe neryo amaghenda omwa mbwarara mw’iyuwene. E Biblia yikabugha yithi mwaghenda ‘olhughendo lhw’ekiro kighuma,’ neryo ithwangana thera akasasani akatsuka olhughendo lhwiwe eryuba likahulhuka isyahekire eky’erirya, inianakwire buba bunene kutsibu, n’erilhaba omwa mbwarara eryuba irinakire kutsibu. Eryuba lyabere linemulenga, Eliya mwahwa akaghalha. Inianalhuhire kutsibu mwikalha omwa ndina y’omuthi w’omusasa​—ng’ekitsutsu ekyabya hakuhi omwa mbwarara eyo.​—1 Bam. 19:4.

10, 11. (a) Ebinywe ebyabya omwa musabe wa Eliya byamanyisayaki? (b) Omw’ikolesya awandi masako awakanganibwe, kanaya okw’iyowa ery’abandi baghombe ba Nyamuhanga abahwa amani.

¹⁰ Omw’iyibulha-bulha linene, Eliya mwasaba. Mwasaba athi ahole. Mwabugha athi: ‘Sindi mubuya kwilhaba abathatha-kulhu baghe.’ Abya inianasi ndeke-ndeke ngoku abathatha-kulhu biwe babya ibabiribya makuha masa omw’isinda, isibanga kolera mundu wosi-wosi y’ekibuya. (Omu. 9:10) Eliya mwayowa isyakiwithe mughaso. Sikiri swekaya eribya imwalira athi: ‘Bingaho!’ Eki kyakanganaya indi akayowa isyakitholere eribyaho.

¹¹ Mbwino kinatholere ikyathuswekya omundu wa Nyamuhanga amahwa amani? Eyihi. N’abandi b’okwa balhume n’abakali bangyi abathaleghulha omwa Biblia bakakanibawako ng’abahwa amani n’eriyisunza olhuholho​—nga Rebeka, Yakobo, Musa, na Yobu.​—Enz. 25:22; 37:35; Emig. 11:13-15; Yobu 14:13.

12. Wamahwa amani, wanga kwama wuthi eky’erileberyako kya Eliya?

¹² Munabwire thuli omwa ‘mighulhu eyikalire,’ neryo sikiri thuswekaya erilhangira okwa bundi buthuku abandu bangyi bakahwa amani, nibya n’abathaleghulha ba Nyamuhanga. (2 Tim. 3:1) Wamayisanga omwa mibere eyiri ng’eyi, kwama eky’erileberyako kya Eliya omw’ibwira Nyamuhanga y’ebyosi ebiri omwa muthima wawu. Kundi nibya, Yehova ni “Nyamuhanga w’erikirania lyosi.” (Soma 2 Abanya Korinto 1:3, 4.) Mbwino mwanakirania Eliya?

13, 14. (a) Yehova mwakangania athi kw’atsomene Eliya? (b) Busana naki kikahumulikanaya eribya Yehova inianasi ebithuhambireko n’obulemwa bwethu?

¹³ Wukalengekanaya Yehova mwayowa athi iniane elhubulha akalhangira omuminyereri wiwe inianakesirye omw’isi sy’omuthi omwa mbwarara inianemusaba athi ambi ahole? Yehova mwamutsomana. Eliya abere abirihwera omwa thulho, Yehova mwamuthumira omumalaika. Omwa bolho-bolho, omumalaika mwabbandako, athi: ‘Hangana wulye.’ Eliya mwahangana, kundi omumalaika abya iniabirimutheghekera eky’erirya​—omuggati n’amaghetse. Mbwino Eliya mwanasingya omumalaika? E Biblia yikabugha yithi omuminyereri oyu mwakwama kyalya n’eripulya n’erisuba omwa thulho. Mbwino abya iniabirihwa amani kutsibu indi syanga thasyathoka n’eribugha? Omumalaika mwathasyamubukya engendo yakabiri, obundi omwa mitsange. Kandi mwathasyamubwira athi, ‘Hangana wulye,’ kandi athi, ‘kusangwa wukendi ghenda lhughendo lhuuli.’​—1 Bam. 19:5-7.

¹⁴ Nyamuhanga abya iniabiriha omumalaika oyu y’amenge aw’eriminya eyo Eliya akaya. Kandi mwaminya ngoku Eliya sy’abya awithe kaghalha akanga muthokesya erighenda olhughendo lhuuli kutsibu olhu. Ka kikahumulikanaya erikolera Nyamuhanga oyuwasi ebilhubirirwa byethu n’obulemwa bwethu kwilhaba ku thuyasi! (Soma Esyonyimbo 103:13, 14.) Ebyalya ebi mubyawathikya bithi Eliya?

15, 16. (a) Ebyalya ebya Yehova aha Eliya mubyamuthokesya erikolhaki? (b) Busana naki thutholere ithwatsemera emibere Yehova akawathikiraya mw’abaghombe biwe munabwire?

¹⁵ E Biblia yikabugha yithi: ‘Neryo Eliya mwahangana mwalya, mwapulya, mwaghenda omwa maaka w’ebyalya ebyo ebiro n’emisibo makumi ani erihika e Horebu, ekithwe kya Nyamuhanga.’ (1 Bam. 19:8) Eliya mwatsira akalyo ebiro 40 n’emisibo 40, nga Musa kw’akolha ebighonye nga mukagha Eliya athali abyaho. Na Yesu kwanabya akolire athya enyuma w’ebighonye hakuhi 10 erilhua oku Eliya. (Eri. 34:28; Lk. 4:1, 2) Ebyalya ebyo mubithaghunzaho ebitsibu biwe byosi aliwe omwa nzira y’ekithiko-thiko mubyaleka iniabyaho obuthuku obwosi obo. Thalengekania omulhume mukulhu ng’oyu inianalhuhire inianemulhaba omwa mbwarara omuthe nzira, buli kiro, eyenga omwa yindi, erighunza hakuhi okwezi n’embindi!

¹⁶ Na munabwire Yehova anemutsomana abaghombe biwe butsira omw’ibakolera ebithiko-thiko by’eribaha ebyalya, aliwe akabatsomana omwa yindi nzira y’embaghane. Akabahereraya ebyalya by’obunyakirimu. (Mt. 4:4) Erigha oku Nyamuhanga erilhabira omwa Biblia n’omwa bitabu byethu ebiseghemere okwa Biblia kikathutheghaya bunyakirimu. Erirya eby’obunyakirimu ng’ebi,  sikirighunzaho ebitsibu byethu byosi, aliriryo kikathuwathikaya erighumira ebitsibu ebikalire. Kandi kikakolhaya okwa ‘ngebe y’erikotha.’​—Yn. 17:3.

17. Eliya mwayahi, kandi niki ekyaleka ah’aya aho ihabya ha mbaghane?

¹⁷ Eliya mwalyatha hakuhi kilomita 320 erihika okwa Kithwe Horebu. Abya mwanya w’embaghane kundi Yehova abya imwanakaniryaho kera na Musa erilhabira omwa mumalaika omwa kisaka ekikaka kw’omuliro kandi ha Yehova anakolera Endaghane y’Emighambo n’Abaisraeli. Eliya mwabana ah’eribya omwa mwangalhu.

18, 19. (a) Omumalaika oyuwathumawa na Yehova mwabulya kibulyoki, kandi Eliya mwasubirya athiki? (b) Eliya mwakangania esyonzumwa syahi isathu esyaleka iniahwa akaghalha?

¹⁸ Iniane e Horebu, ‘ekinywe’ kya Yehova, ekyangabya ikyamuhikako erilhabira omwa mumalaika, mwabya ekibulyo kino: ‘Eliya, wukakolha hano haki kwehi?’ Ekibulyo eki kyangabya imukyabulibwa omwa mulenge owahehere, kundi Eliya mwalhangira ini kaghisa ak’eribugha ebyosi ebiri okwa muthima. Kandi ekyo ky’anabya akolire! Mwabugha athi: ‘Nabiribya n’obuha bunene busana na Yehova, Nyamuhanga w’emilhondo; kusangwa abaana ba Israeli babirisighania endaghano yawu, n’eritherya ebiherero byawu n’er’itha abaminyereri bawu b’omo muyali; ningye ngakinasighalire; kandi bakasondaya engebe yaghe erinyitha.’ (1 Bam. 19:9, 10) Ebinywe bya Eliya bikakanganaya esyonzumwa ng’isathu esyaleka iniahwa akaghalha.

¹⁹ Ey’erimbere, Eliya mwayowa omubiiri wiwe ng’abirikwa busa. Nomwanaghunza myaka mingyi iniane “n’obuha bunene” kutse omuhwa munene omw’ikolera Yehova, erihira erina lya Nyamuhanga eribuyirire n’eriramya liwe ly’embere, Eliya mwalhangira ebindu nga byabiryongera eritsanda. Abandu babya ibakine bathowa n’erikalya emithima, kandi n’eriramya ly’amabehi irine mukanyirira. Eyakabiri, Eliya mwayowa nga n’iyo musa oyukinasighalire erikolera Yehova kundi mwabugha athi: ‘Ningye ngakinasighalire.’ Eyakasathu, Eliya mw’ubaha. Abandi baminyereri bangyi ab’okw’iyo babya ibabir’ithibwa, neryo abya akyasi athi n’iyo akayakwamako. Kyangabya imukithabya kyolho Eliya eriligha ngoku anemuyowa athya, aliwe mwathalighira emiyiheko kutse erihemuka bikaleka akathendi bwira Nyamuhanga ngoku akayowa. Iyo eribwira Nyamuhanga y’ebyosi ebiri omwa muthima, mwabya iniakahira h’eky’erileberyako ekyuwene okwa bandu bosi abathaleghulha.​—Esy. 62:8.

20, 21. (a) Kanaya okwa bya Eliya alholhako iniane omwa lhukyo lhw’omwangalhu okwa Kithwe Horebu. (b) Yehova erikangania amaaka wiwe muky’eghesya Eliya yaki?

²⁰ Yehova mwawathikya athi Eliya omwa mibere ey’abyamu eyi?  Omumalaika mwabwira Eliya athi imane omwa lhukyo lhw’omwangalhu. Mwaligha, isyasi n’ekikayabya. Muhahitha erihunga linene! Lyangabya imulyabuya omusiki, kundi lyabya ly’amaaka manene indi mulya thulhanga ebithwe n’amabwe. Thathera akasasani Eliya iniane mubisa obusu bwiwe okwa kiyagha eki n’erimakirira olhukimba lhwiwe olhubbutire lhukayihungya, kandi iniane muhanda ebisandu biwe bya ndeke, kundi ekithaka mukyasukana busana n’omusiki! Abere akiniaho, hamalhaba omuliro munene, amaleka iniasuba omo mwangalhu akayibisa okwa kihuhania kinene.​—1 Bam. 19:11, 12.

²¹ Omwa bikathikaya ebi, e Biblia yikathw’ibukaya yithi Yehova syabya akabya mubyo. Eliya abya inianasi ngoku Yehova syali nga Baali enyamuhanga ey’obukisu eyitheho, oyuwabya akahalhambwa n’abaramya biwe ‘ng’omusondoli w’ebithu,’ kutse ng’oyukaletha embulha. Yehova iyo ya nzuko y’amaaka wosi awakathikaya, kandi aliwe iyo alengire kutsibu ekyosi-kyosi eky’ahangika. N’ekyanya ky’ebyanya syangabya mukyo! (1 Bam. 8:27) Ebyosi ebi mubyawathikya bithi Eliya? Wibuke ngoku abya iniabiryubaha. Aliriryo Eliya syabya atholere akubaha Ahabu na Yezebeli kundi Yehova oyuwithe amaaka wosi w’erithikya abya okwa lhuhandi lhwiwe!​—Soma Esyonyimbo 118:6.

22. (a) “Omulenge muke owahehere” mwaghumya athi Eliya ngoku akine w’omughaso? (b) “Omulenge muke owahehere” angabya inialhua okundi? (Lebaya n’omwatsi ahikwa.)

²² Omuliro abere abirilima, muhabya akahunerero, neryo Eliya mwowa “omulenge muke owahehere.” Iniakabugha athi Eliya athasyabugha ebimuhambireko, nayu mwabugha ebyosi ebimuli okwa muthima omurundi wa kabiri. * Obundi ekyo mukyongera erimuhumulikania. Aliriryo Eliya angabya imw’ongera erithasya humulikanibwa akowa ebya bughawa omwa ‘mulenge muke owahehere’ oyo. Yehova mwaghumya Eliya athi ni w’omughaso munene. Athi? Nyamuhanga mwamubisulira ebya akendisya kolha erilhusyaho eriramya lya Baali omwa Israeli. Omo kwenene, ebya Eliya akolha byabya isibithakwa busa, kundi Nyamuhanga abya iniakine n’ekighendererwa eky’erilhusyaho eriramya lya Baali. Eryongera okw’ekyo, angalholire embere erikolesya Eliya, kundi Yehova  mwathasya muthuma eriyakolha omubiiri inianamuhere eby’erighenderako.​—1 Bam. 19:12-17.

23. Ni nzira syahi ibiri esya Yehova akolesaya eriwathikya Eliya erileka eriyowa ng’ali iyuwene?

²³ Kandi ibbwa Eliya eriyowa ng’ali iyuwene? Yehova mwakolha bindu bibiri erimuwathikya. Eky’erimbere, mwabwira Eliya athi ahakabaye Elisa y’amaghutha ng’omuminyereri oyuwangasubire omo mwanya wiwe. Omulhume oyu, angakolire haghuma na Eliya n’eribya muwathikya wiwe habw’emyaka mingyi. Ekyo ka kyangabya imukya muhumulikania kwenene! Ekyakabiri, Yehova mwamubisulira omwatsi owakatsemesaya ono: ‘Nasyayisighira omwa Israeli mw’abandu kasanju, amarwe w’abo abathethakukamira Baali, n’obuli buno obuthemulyatsirira.’ (1 Bam. 19:18) Eliya syabya iyuwene ngoku abya akalengekania. Kyangabya imukya mutsemesya kutsibu eriowa ngoku hane abandi bangyi abathaleghulha abaghana eriramya Baali. Babya banzire Eliya inialholha embere omwa mubiiri wiwe buthaleghulha, erihiraho eky’erileberyako ekyuwene eky’erithendi leghulha oku Yehova omwa buthuku obukalire obo. Ekyo kitholere eribya imukyahamba kutsibu oku Eliya akowa ebinywe ebyo ebyalethawa n’omuthumwa wa Yehova, “omulenge muke owahehere” owa Nyamuhanga wiwe.

24, 25. (a) Nethu thwanga hulikirira thuthi “omulenge muke owahehere” owa Yehova? (b) Thukaminya thuthi ngoku Eliya mwaligha erihumulikanibwa?

²⁴ Nga Eliya, nethu ebindu by’amaaka eby’obuhangwa ebikathikaya byangana thukukubalya kutsibu, kandi ikihikire. Ebihangikwa bikakanganaya ndeke amaaka w’Omuhangiki. (Abar. 1:20) Nahathya Yehova akinanzire erikolesya amaaka wiwe aya eriwathikya abaghombe biwe abathaleghulha. (2 Emy. 16:9) Aliriryo, akakanaya nethu kutsibu erilhabira omwa Kinywe kiwe, e Biblia. (Soma Isaya 30:21.) E Biblia yangana linganisibwa ‘ng’omulenge muke owahehere,’ thwamalighirayo erithusondolha. Erilhabira muyo, Yehova akathuhabulha, iniathuhira mw’amani, n’erithukakasya kw’athwanzire.

²⁵ Eliya mwanaligha erihumulikania lya Yehova okwa Kithwe Horebu? Ekyo kilhangirikire ndeke-ndeke! Muhathahwa buthuku athali atsuka kandi erikolha omubiiri wiwe buthubaha n’erikunga abandu okw’iramya ly’amabehi. Nethu thwamaghendera okwa Kinywe kya Nyamuhanga ekiri omwa Masako awakathuha ‘erihanda omuthima,’ ithukendi thoka erigherererya erikirirya lya Eliya.​—Abar. 15:4.