UMFELOKAZI odosa emhlweni ugone indodanakhe ekuphela kwayo. Naye akawakholwa amehlwakhe. Kungasikade, bekagone isidumbu somsanyanakhe lo. Kodwana nje, uyajekezela nekabona umsanyanakhe avuselwe ekuphileni. “Qala, indodanakho iyaphila!” Kutjho indoda ebeyikweriyele kwakhe.

Isehlakalwesi senzeka pheze eminyakeni ezi-3 000 eyadlulako. Nawuthandako, ungayifunda kweyoku-1 amaKhosi isahluko 17. Okweriyele umfelokazi lo, ngumphorofidi u-Eliya. Unina lomntwana yena asilazi ibizo lakhe, kodwana bekakhe ngedorobheni leTsarifathi. Asikho isehlakalo esaqinisa ikholo lakhe njengokuvuswa kwendodanakhe. Njengombana sizokucoca ngaye nje, sizakhe sibone ukuthi ngiziphi iimfundo eziqakathekileko esingazifunda endabeni le.

UJehova wabikezela bona kuzokuba nesomiso ebesizokudosa isikhathi eside endaweni ebeyibuswa ngu-Arhabi, isikhohlakali sekosi yakwa-Israyeli. Kwathi bona u-Eliya abikezele ngesomisweso, uZimu wamphephisa ku-Arhabi, wamondla ngoburotho nenyama ebekakuphathelwa magwababa. Ngemva kwalokho uJehova wathi ku-Eliya: “Khamba khona nje uye eTsarifathi yeTsidoni uyokuhlala khona. Qala ngilayele umhlolokazi lapho bonyana akondle.”—1 Kho. 17:1-9.

Kwathi u-Eliya nakafika eTsarifathi, nangu umfelokazi abuthelela amaqobotjhwana weenkuni. Kghani mfazi ozokondla umphorofidi yena lo? Nakhona angamondla njani umphorofidi adobha phasi nje? Ukuthi u-Eliya wayidla njani asazi, esikwaziko kukuthi wathoma ukukhuluma nomfazi lo, wathi kuye: “Ungakhe ungizele amanzana ngesikurwana ngisuse ithuli na?” Asayokuthatha amanzi njalo, u-Eliya waraga wathi: “Sale sewuza negedzwana lesikwa ngiyakurabhela.” (1 Kho. 17:10, 11) Bekungasimraro kumfelokazi ukunikela u-Eliya amanzi. Umraro bekusisikwa.

 Nakamphendula u-Eliya wathi: “Ngifunga uSomnini uZimu, abe anginalitho mntwabantu. Selirhotjhana leflowuru neqopho lamafutha. Ungibona ngithezatheza nje, kokwakho bengithi ngiyokwenzela mina nomsanyanami iqebelengwanyana sesisule umlomo ngaphambi kobana kuphume isikhwehlela.” (1 Kho. 17:12) Akhesibone ukuthi kuhlekuhle amezwi la atjho ukuthini.

Umfelokazi lo bekalemuka bona u-Eliya mphorofidi wakwa-Israyeli osaba uZimu. Lokho kufakazelwa mamezwakhe nakathi, “Ngifunga uSomnini uZimu.” Kubonakala kwanga bekamazi uZimu wama-Israyeli, kodwana esikubonako kukuthi akhenge athi “uZimami,” atjho uJehova. Phela bekakhe eTsarifathi, idorojana ebelingaphasi kwedorobho elikhulu leFunisiya iTsidoni. Kuyatjho bona iTsarifathi beyizele swi ngabalotjha uBhali. Nanyana kunjalo, kukhona okuhle uJehova akubonileko kumfelokazi lo.

Naphezu kokuthi umfelokazi odosa emhlweni lo bekabhodwe babantu abalotjha uBhali, bekanalo ikholo. Ngikho uJehova athumela u-Eliya bona kusizeke yena nomfelokazi lo. Kunesifundo esiqakathekileko esisifunda endabeni le.

Abantu beTsarifathi bebangakakhohlakali boke nokho. Ngokuthumela u-Eliya kumfelokazi lo, uJehova bekasitjengisa ukuthi ubaqalile abantu abanogamlotjhikwabo abasese nobuntu. “Kodwana omesabako enze okulungileko nanyana angewasiphi isizwe uyamukeleka kuye.”—IzE. 10:35.

Bangakhi abantu obaziko endaweni yangekhenu abaphila njengomfelokazi weTsarifathi? Nanyana bangaphila nabantu abakholelwa emangeni, kungenzeka bafuna okuthileko abangakakarela kikho. Kungakhathaliseki bona banelwazi elincani kangangani ngoJehova, batlhoga ukusizwa bona balotjhe uZimu ngeqiniso. Yeke, uyalinga na ukubafuna nokubasiza abantu abanjalo?

Akhewucabange ngalokho u-Eliya akubawa kumfelokazi lo. Bekaqeda kumtjela ukuthi uzathi angasusa indlala emehlweni, yena nomntwanakhe baqalane nokufa. Kodwana wathini-ke u-Eliya? “Ungesabi. Khamba uye ekhaya ufese wenze njengombana utjhwile. Kodwana uthome ngokwenzela mina iqebelengwana ngalokho onakho ukulethe bese-ke uzenzela wena nomsanyanakho ngombana nakhu okutjhiwo nguSomnini uZimu wakwa-Israyeli: ‘Irhotjhana leflowuru angeze laba dududu neqobho lamafutha angeze loma bekube kumhlana uSomnini anisa izulu enarheni.’”—1 Kho. 17:11-14.

Abanye bangathi: “Ungathi ungibona ngiphiphila kangaka, uthi angikunikele ukudla kwethu kokugcina, uthi awurhaphi nje?” Kodwana umfelokazi lo khenge atjho njalo. Anelwazi elincani njalo ngoJehova, wamkholwa u-Eliya, bewenza nalokho akutjhoko. Qala bona leso bekusitjhijilo esikhulu kangangani esiveza ikholo lakhe—wenza isiqunto esihle kwamambala!

UZimu khenge amlahle umfelokazi lo. Koke kwenzeka njengokutjho kwaka-Eliya, uJehova waqiniseka bona iflowuru namafutha kuhlala kukhona kwamfelokazi lo, kumondle yena nomntwanakhe kunye no-Eliya, bekube kulapho kuphela isomiso. “Ngambala irhotjhana leflowuru azange libe dududu neqopho lamafutha azange lome, kwaba njengombana ilizwi lakaSomnini latjho ngo-Eliya.” (1 Kho. 17:16; 18:1) Nangabe umfazi lo bekanganalo ikholo, amafutjhana neflowurwana leyo bekazabe akudla kwamaswaphela,  ngemva kwalokho baqalane nokufa. Kodwana kunalokho, wamkholelwa bewamthemba uZimu, ngikho okwamenza waphakela u-Eliya qangi.

Isifundo esiqakathekileko esisifunda endabeni le kukuthi uZimu uyababusisa abantu abanekholo eliqinileko. Nange uqalene nesilingo, wena yiba nekholo kwaphela, uJehova uzakusiza. Mhlokho, uzokondla, akuvikele begodu atjhidele kuwe, akusize uqalane nesilingweso.—Eks. 3:13-15.

Ngo-1898, i-Zion’s Watch Tower yakhe yathi: “Ukuveza komfazi lo ikholo lakhe, kwenza uZimu wamtjheja, wathumela uMphorofidi bona amsize; kodwana nange bekanganalo ikholo, uZimu bekazamlisa, afune omunye umfelokazi onekholo. Kuyafana nakithi—kunesikhathi epilweni lapha uJehova azokuvumela bona sibe kwelimagade ahlabako. Nengabe ikholo lethu liqinile, sizozifumana iimbusiso zakaZimu; kodwana nange singanalo ikholo, silale silahlile.”

Nakungenzeka sibe hlangana nomdzwela, kufuze sifune isinqophiso semiTlolo esiseencwadini zethu ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini. Ngemva kwalokho kufuze senze ngokuvumelana nesinqophiso sakaJehova, kungakhathileseki bona kubudisi kangangani ukwenza ngokuvumelana naso. Sizabe sihlakaniphe kwamambala nesingalandela isagesi: “Themba uSomnini ngehliziywakho yoke, ungeyami ekwazini kwakho. Nawazisa uSomnini kizo zoke iindlela zakho yena uyokwenza imizilakho ilelezeke.”—IzA. 3:5, 6.

Umfelokazi lo bekufuze aqalane nesinye isilingo esingaphula ikholo lakhe. IBhayibheli lithi: “Kwathi ngemva kwalokho indodana yomhlolokazi u-Eliya afikela kuye loya, yagula. Kwembulwa kwembeswa ngendodana leyo bekwafika lapha ingasaphefumuli khona.” Afuna ukuzwisisa ibanga elenza ehlakalelwe yinto ebuhlungu kangaka, umfelokazi wathi ku-Eliya: “Akhusuthi uyaqala bona ungenzeleni, wena muntu kaZimu! Uze lapha bona uzongikhumbuza ngesono sami bewubulale indodanami?” (1 Kho. 17:17, 18) Ucabanga ukuthi amezwi abuhlungu kangaka la atjho ukuthini?

Kghani mhlamunye umfazi lo wenze isono ebesimbulalisa ngesazela na? Kghani bekacabanga bona uZimu uthumele u-Eliya bona azokukhipha isigwebo sesonweso ngokubulala indodanakhe? IBhayibheli alikatjho litho ngendaba enjalo, kodwana esikwaziko kukuthi umfazi lo khenge asole uZimu ngananyana yini engakalungi.

Kuyatjho bona u-Eliya wathukwa khulu nakezwa bona umntwana uhlongakele, nokuthi umfelokazi uthi nguye obulele umntwanakhe. Kwathi kusesenjalo u-Eliya watjatha umntwana lo wamusa elawini eliphezulu, walila kuJehova wathi: “Somnini Zimami wehlisele nomhlolokazi engikhonze kwakhe lo ihlekelele ngokubangela bonyana indodanakhe ihlongakale na?” Umphorofidi lo akhenge ayijamele yokuthi isenzakalwesi sihlazise ibizo lakaZimu, ngokuthi uZimu avumele bona umfazi lo arage nokudosa emhlweni ngalendlela. Yeke, u-Eliya walila kuZimu wathi: “Maye Somnini Zimami, buyisela umphefumulo womntwana lo!”—1 Kho. 17:20, 21.

UJehova bekalalele ngesikhatheso. Umfelokazi lo bekasolo ondla umphorofidakhe begodu anekholo lamambala. Kubonakala kwanga uJehova wakuvumela ngamabomu bona umntwana lo abangwe neenzibi, azi ukuthi uzamvusa, abeke isisekelo sokuthi isizukulwana esizokulandela sibe nethemba lokuthi abantu bazokuvuswa. Lelo kwabalivuko lokuthoma emlandweni weBhayibheli. Kwathi bona u-Eliya amncenge, uJehova wamvusa ekufeni umntwana lo. Akhewucabange bona umfelokazi bekathabe kangangani nakezwa u-Eliya athi: “Qala, indodanakho iyaphila!” Yeke, umfelokazi wathi ku-Eliya: “Gadesi sengiyazi bonyana umumuntu kaZimu nokobana ilizwi lakaSomnini eliphuma emlonyenakho liliqiniso.”—1 Kho. 17:22-24.

Indaba elandiswe kweyoku-1 amaKhosi isahluko 17, akhenge isanaba ngomfelokazi lo. Amezwi kaJesu amahle ngomfelokazi lo atjengisa bona kungenzeka ipilwakhe yoke wayidla akhonza uZimu ngokuthembeka. (Luk. 4:25, 26) Yeke, indaba le isifundisa ukuthi uZimu angababusisa abantu abenzela iinceku zakhe izinto ezihle. (Mat. 25:34-40) Isiqinisekisa nangokuthi uZimu uyabondla abantu abathembekileko, ngitjho nanyana bahlangana nelitje nembokodo. (Mat. 6:25-34) Indaba le isinikela nobufakazi bokuthi uJehova ukufisa ngehliziywakhe yoke ukuvusa abantu abafileko. (IzE. 24:15) La-ke, mabanga asenza simkhumbule umfelokazi weTsarifathi.