1, 2. (a) Omonkhalelo patyi ovanthu va Eliya ankho vekahi nokumona ononkhumbi? (b) Oundyale patyi Eliya ankho ena Komphunda Karmelu?

ELIYA ankho utala ovanthu ovanyingi vekahi nokulikoka okulonda Komphunda Karmelu. Namphila ankho kukahi nokuandyuluka, mahi ankho tyitavela okutala oñgeni oluhepo nondyala vikahi nokukalesa ovanthu ovo. Ankho valambuka mokonda omutenya wakalako omanima etatu notyihupe otyo ombila yahaloko.

² Pokati kavo ankho pena ovauli 450 vomutomba velipakako nokuanumana na Eliya, omuuli wa Jeova. Onkhai Hamba Jezabele ankho yaipaale ovaumbili ovanyingi va Jeova, mahi ovanthu ovo vatuaileko nekolelo okuanya efendelo lia Baale. Mahi, omo muvo ulifuepi? Tyafuile ovanakwa ovo ankho vasoka okuti omulume wike kapondola okufinda ovanthu aveho. (1 Reis 18:4, 19, 20) Ohamba Akabe tupu ankho ikahi ketukutuku liayo liomunkhima okuvelandula. Nae ankho uyele Eliya.

3, 4. (a) Omokonda yatyi Elia akalela nowoma etyi kukahi nokutya? (b) Omapulo patyi matulilongesa?

³ Omuuli oo omulike ankho una onthiki imwe yelikalela mononthiki ambuho mbomuenyo wae. Tyina Eliya atala ovanthu vainduka komphunda ankho ukahi nokusoka kotyipuka tyimwe matyendepo tyehenemoneke mouye. Oñgeni ankho elitehelela tyina kukahi nokutya? Mokonda ankho “omunthu ngonthue” tyafuile nae ankho watila owoma. (Tanga Tiago 5:17.) Mahi tupondola okukala nonthumbi yotyipuka tyimwe: mokonda ankho Eliya ukahi pokati kovanakwa ovaipai novanthu vehena ekolelo nohamba ikahi metukutuku liovita, ulitehelela okuti omulike.​—1 Reis 18:22.

⁴ Oityi o Isilayeli ankho yakalela notyitateka? Iya otyo tyikukalesa ñgeni? Tala ongeleka yekolelo ya Eliya noñgeni etyi alinga tyipondola okutukuatesako hono.

5, 6. (a) Ovilwa patyi ova Isilayeli ankho vena? (b) Oñgeni etyi tyalingile Ohamba Akabe tyanumanesa Jeova?

⁵ Etyi Eliya ankho ekahi nokukula wamuene efendelo lia Jeova,  otyipuka tyimwe otyiwa, ovanthu vae ankho vena, pahe liayekuapo nokuatombwa, mahi ehetyivili okulinga natyike. Tala okuti: Ova Isilayeli ankho vena ovilwa vimwe ovinene, pokati kefendelo liotyotyili nolio matutu, okuti novafendeli va Jeova Huku nomalongo afenda ovilolo. Mononthiki mba Eliya, ovilwa ovio ankho vieliyawisa unene.

⁶ Ohamba Akabe ankho ilinga unene ovivi komaiho a Jeova. Ankho wanepa Jezabele, omona wohamba Sidon. Jezabele ankho uhanda okuyandyanesa efendelo lia Baale movilongo vio Isilayeli nokumanako efendelo lia Jeova. Akabe etavela okuhongiliyua nae. Atungila Baale ondyuo nomutala wovilikutila nokuhongiliya ovanthu vafende otyikahuku otyo tyounkhembi.​—1 Reis 16:30-33.

7. (a) Oityi ankho tyapenga unene mefendelo lia Baale? (b) Konthele yomuwo womutenya waendeleko kononthiki mba Eliya, omokonda yatyi tuna onthumbi yokuti Ombimbiliya kaipopi etyi tyelikalela? (Kutikinyamo  okakasa.)

⁷ Oityi ankho tyapenga unene mefendelo lia Baale? Ankho lihongiliya ova Isilayeli, iya ovanyingi avayapuka ku Huku yotyotyili. Tupu ankho efendelo limwe liasila, nokuipaa. Liakutikinya omaundalelapo ovalume novakai valingila mondyuo yefendelo nopovipito viavo, alo umwe okulinga ovana ovilikutila. Moluotyo Jeova atumu omuuli Eliya ku Akabe opo akapopie okuti ombila kamailoko alo omuuli wa Huku apopia onthyulilo yomutenya. (1 Reis 17:1) Etyi palamba omanima omanyingi, Eliya aende vali ku Akabe apopi okuti ongiya ovanthu novauli va Baale Komphunda Karmelu. *

8. Oityi ovipuka ankho vilingwa mefendelo lia Baale vihangununa kuonthwe hono?

⁸ Mahi oityi ovilwa ovio vihangununa kuonthwe hono? Vamwe vasoka okuti ehipululo liefendelo lia Baale litupu esilivilo hono, kutupu ondyuo nomutala wovilikutila via Baale. Mahi ehipululo olio hatyipuka vala tyokualamba. (Rom. 15:4) Ondaka “Baale” ihangununa okuti “ohekulu” ine “omuhona.” Jeova wapopila ovanthu vae okuti vena okumuholovona nga “Baale” ine omuhona wavo muene. (Isa. 54:5) Kutavela okuti ovanthu nkhele vafenda ovipuka ovinyingi tyipona okufenda Huku Omukulami? Tyotyili, tyilinge ovanthu vaovola omalumono, nonombongo, novitalukiso, nomahando otyihola, ine okukafenda ovikahuku ovinyingi vifendwa hono, tyipona okufenda Jeova, ovo ngotyo vaholovona omuhona wavo. (Mat. 6:24; tanga Romanos 6:16.) Ngotyo,  ovipuka ovinyingi ankho vivasiwa mefendelo lia Baale hono viakaka unene. Okusoka kovilwa viakalele pokati ka Jeova na Baale vipondola okutukuatesako okuholovona nawa olie matuumbila.

9. (a) Oñgeni Omphunda Karmelu yalekesa okuti omphangu ongwa yokuhololola omatutu a Baale? (Tupu tala okatoi) (b) Oityi Eliya apopila ovanthu?

⁹ Keulu Liomphunda Karmelu tyitavela okutala otyilongo atyiho—okuhimbikila kevota Kison alo kelunga enene (Mediterrânio) popepi no Libanu okutala koutakelo wekumbi. * Mahi, monthiki oyo yokuepuiya tyina ekumbi litunda, ankho otyilongo tyalinga navi. Otyilongo tyimwe ankho otyiwa Jeova apele ovana va Abraiau pahe tyatyituka omambandi. Pahe eheke limwe  liakondya nomutenya nokuanyonua mokonda youmphuki wovanthu va Huku! Etyi ovanthu vekahi nokuongana Eliya afuene puvo evepopila okuti: “Alo pi mamutualako nomitima vivali vielikalela? Inkha Jeova o Huku yotyotyili, endei mulandulei. Mahi, inkha o Mbaale, endei mulandulei.”​—1 Reis 18:21.

10. Oñgeni ovanthu va Eliya ankho “vatualako nomitima vivali vielikalela” mahi otyili patyi tyakolela ankho valimbwa?

¹⁰ Oityi Eliya ahandele okupopia nonondaka “mamutualako nomitima vivali vielikalela”? Ovanthu vana ankho kavetyeete okuti ankho vesukisa okukoya ankho mavafende Jeova ine o Baale. Ankho vasoka okuti vapondola okulinga ovipuka vivali​—okukala nombembwa na Baale mokulinga oviso viavo tupu otyo vaita okankhenda ku Jeova Huku. Hamwe ankho vasoka okuti Baale makuatesako ovikuna viavo novipako viavo iya Jeova “womambamba ovita” meveamena kovilwa. (1 Sam. 17:45) Mahi ankho valimbuako otyili tyimwe tyakolela​—Otyili ovanthu ovanyingi tupu hono valimbuako​—Jeova kelitepulila efendelo nomunthu nawike. Uhanda vala efendelo palae. Kwe efendelo aliho liahonyekwa nekuavo kaliaviukile, alo umwe limunumanesa!​—Tanga Êxodo 20:5.

11. Oñgeni etyi Eliya apopia Komphunda Karmelu tyitukuatesako okutala nawa etyi tuapaka tete momuenyo nefendelo lietu?

¹¹ Ova Isilayeli ankho “vatualako nomitima vivali” ngomulume uhetekela okuendela monondyila onombali. Hono, ovanyingi valinga ovipengi ngovio, okuyeka ovo “Baale” vekahiko hono vanyingile momuenyo wavo, avayekepo efendelo lia Huku. Okutehelela elondolo liayandyuluka nawa lia Eliya, liokuyekapo okukala nomitima vivali, lipondola okutukuatesako okutala nawa efendelo lietu.

12, 13. (a) Etokolo patyi Eliya alingile? b) Oñgeni onthue tupondola okulekesa onthumbi nga Eliya?

¹² Okulandulako Eliya alingi etokolo liahulililako liapepuka. Ovanakwa va Baale ankho vena okufuika omutala nokupakako otyilikutila, okulandulako avelikuambela ku huku yavo opo kotyilikutila apakeko otupia. Eliya nae ankho otyo ena okulinga. Oe wati: “Huku maeta otupia, oe, o Huku yotyotyili.” Eliya ankho utyii nawa olie Huku yotyotyili. Ekolelo liae ankho liapama unene ahatili owoma okulilola novauli va Baale. Wayeka onondyale mbae vaholovone ongombe yotyilikutila nokuita tete ku huku yavo. *​—1 Reis 18:24, 25.

 ¹³ Hono katukahi monuwo womahuviso. Nongotyo, Jeova kapilulukile. Tupondola okuyumba onthumbi mu Huku nga Eliya. Mongeleka, tyina vakuetu vehetavela etyi Ombimbiliya ilongesa, katupondola okukala nowoma atuheveyeke vapopie etyi vasoka. Nga Eliya, onthue tupondola okuhatekela ku Huku yotyotyili tyina tutetulula ovitateka. Tulinga ngotyo, mokuhayumbu onthumbi muonthue muene, mahi tuyumba onthumbi Mondaka ya Huku ina esilivilo “liokuviukisa ovipuka.”​—2 Tim. 3:16.

14. Oñgeni Eliya akuela ovauli va Mbaale, iya omokonda yatyi?

¹⁴ Ovauli va Baale vahimbika okufuika otyilikutila otyo avaihana huku yavo, okuti: “Ove Baale tukumbulule!” Vemuihana ovikando ovinyingi. Onominutu, no noola, otyo mbuenda otyo vatualako. Ombimbiliya yati: “Mahi, ankho kakuivala ondaka naike, ankho kutupu nawike ukumbulula.” Mokati komutenya Eliya ehimbika okuvekuela okupopia nokuyola okuti Baale wakuata omapita, ukahi nokulinga omahando ae ine hamwe ulele wesukisa okupahuluapo. Eliya alundu onondyale mbae okuti “laveleyei unene.” Tyimoneka nawa okuti ankho Eliya utyii okuti efendelo lia Baale otyipuka tyihasilivila, iya ankho uhanda ovanthu va Huku vetyimone nawa.​—1 Reis 18:26, 27.

15. Oñgeni etyi tyalingile ovanakwa va Baale tyilekesa oulai wokuholovona omuhona omukuavo uhe Jeova?

¹⁵ Ovauli va Baale avahangayala vali unene “okuihanena peulu, ngetyi tyilingwa moviso viavo, otyo veliteta no nonkhiki nomaonga, alo umwe vatunda ohonde.” Mahi ononkhono-pwila vala! “Ankho kakuivala ondaka naike, ankho kutupu nawike ukumbulula.” (1 Reis 18:28, 29) Tyotyili, ankho kutupu Baale nawike. Efendelo vala liahindwa na Satanasi opo ayapule ovanthu ku Jeova. Tupu hono, okuholovona omuhona omukuavo uhe Jeova, katyisilivila alo umwe tyikundisa.​—Tanga Salmo 25:3; 115:4-8.

16. (a) Eliya etyi apindulapo omutala wovilikutila wa Jeova Komphunda Karmelu oityi ahinangelesa ovanthu? (b) Oñgeni Eliya alekesa okuti wayumba onthumbi mu Huku yae?

¹⁶ Kekumbi omuwo wa Eliya wokuava otyilikutila auhikipo. Eliya wapindulapo omutala wovilikutila wa Jeova ankho wahanyua no nondyale mbefendelo liasukuka. Wataindya omamanya 12, opo  ova Isilayeli ovanyingi vomihoko 10, vahinangele okuti otyitumino tyapelwe omihoko 12 vio Isilayeli nkhele tyitualako. Konyima apakeko otyilikutila, atumu tyitilwe omaande, tyafuile apolwa Melunga Mediterrâneo likahi popepi. Tupu alingi omukungu weliseta notyilikutila euyulisa omaande. Wayekele ovauli va Baale valinge tete atyiho vevila, okuholovona ongombe, mahi ku Jeova hatyoko alinga, mokonda ankho wayumba unene onthumbi mu Huku yae.​—1 Reis 18:30-35.

17. Oñgeni elikuambelo lia Eliya lialekesa nawa-nawa etyi tyakolela vali kwe, iya oñgeni tupondola okumuhetekela tyina tulinga omalikuambelo?

¹⁷ Etyi atyiho tyapwa, Eliya alingi elikuambelo monondaka mbehehi mahi liakola, lialekesa nawa-nawa oityi tyakolela vali kwe. Tete, ankho uhanda okulekesa okuti Jeova, oe “Huku yo Isilayeli” ha Baale. Vali, ankho uhanda aveho vanoñgonoke okuti omupika vala wa Jeova; omunkhima auho netavelo lipewa vala Huku. Konyima, walekesa okuti Huku nkhele wesuka novanthu vae, mokonda ankho ukevelela Jeova alinge “omitima viavo vikondoke konyima.” (1 Reis 18:36, 37) Eliya ankho nkhele uvehole, namphila etyi vayekapo efendelo liotyotyili tyaeta ononkhumbi. Okuti momalikuambelo etu, nonthue tusuka nenyina lia Huku, nokuliola omutima, nokukala nonkhenda na vana vesukisa okukuatesuako?

18, 19. (a) Oñgeni Jeova akumbulula elikuambelo lia Eliya? (b) Oityi Eliya apopila ovanthu valinge, iya omokonda yatyi ovanakwa va Baale ankho kavatokalele okankhenda?

¹⁸ Etyi Eliya ehenelikuambele ovanthu vekahipo tyafuile ankho velipula inkha kuna Jeova ine omatutu vala nga Baale. Mahi konyima yelikuambelo, ovanthu avahapatana vali. Ehipululo liati: “Keulu, ku Jeova kuatunda otupia atuhimbika okuyoka otyilikutila, no nonkhwi, nomamanya, neheke, nokunyinapo omaande aeho ankho ekahi momukungu.” (1 Reis 18:38) Eli ekumbululo lihuvisa! Iya oityi ovanthu valinga?

¹⁹ Aveho avapopi okuti: “Jeova o Huku yotyotyili! Jeova o Huku yotyotyili!” (1 Reis 18:39) Pahe vamona otyili. Mahi nongotyo ankho nkhele vetupu ekolelo. Okuimbuka okuti Jeova oe o Huku yotyotyili mokonda yotupia vamona tuatunda keulu etyi Eliya alinga elikuambelo, hatyoko tyilekesa okuti ankho vena ekolelo. Moluotyo, Eliya ankho nkhele una etyi akevelela kuvo.  Weveita valinge etyi ñgeno ankho vena okulinga—okutavela ovitumino via Jeova. Otyitumino tya Jeova ankho tyiti ovauli ononkhembi, no vokufenda ovilolo vena okuipawa. (Deu. 13:5-9) Ovanakwa ovo va Baale ankho veiwe okuti onondyale mba Jeova Huku nokuanya tyawina evangelo lia Jeova. Okuti ankho vatokala okankhenda? Nkhele soka: Okuti tyina ankho vayoka ovana, vahalingile natyike, movilikutila via Baale ankho vena okankhenda? (Tanga Provérbios 21:13; Jer. 19:5) Ovanthu ovo kavatokalele okulingwa okankhenda! Ngotyo, Eliya aiti aveho vaipawe, iya avaipawa.​—1 Reis 18:40.

20. Omokonda yatyi ovanthu vamwe vomphata hono vehetavelela ehipululo liokuti Eliya waipaa ovanakwa va Baale?

²⁰ Hono ovanthu vamwe kavetavela etyi tyavituka ehipululo Komphunda Karmelu. Ovanthu vamwe vena owoma wokuti ovanthu vonongeleya mavaundapesa ehipululo olio pala okulinga ovilwa menyina lionongeleya. Iya tyotyili kuna ovanthu ovanyingi hono valinga ovilwa menyina lionongeleya. Mahi, Eliya ankho kalingi ovilwa. Ankho ukahi nokulinga etyi Jeova apanda, okulinga etyi tyaviuka. Tupu, Ovakristau votyotyili hono vetyii okuti kavapondola okulinga etyi Eliya alinga, ine okukuata omakatana pala okuipaako onondingavivi. Anthi, valandula etyi ovalongwa aveho va Jesus valinga tyivasiwa monondaka Kristu apopila Petulu mbati: “Kondola omutunga wove motyilalo, mokonda aveho vakuata omutunga mavakankhia komutunga.” (Mat. 26:52) Jeova makatuma Omona wae amaneko aveho valinga ovivi.

21. Oñgeni ongeleka ya Eliya yatokala okulandulwa Novakristau votyotyili hono?

²¹ Otyilinga tyo Vakristau votyotyili okukala nekolelo. (João 3:16) Onkhalelo imwe yokulinga ngotyo okuhetekela ovalume vekolelo nga Eliya. Eliya ankho ufenda vala Jeova avela ondundo vakuavo okulinga ngotyo. Nokuakola omutima, wahololola ongeleya Satanasi ankho aundapesa opo ayapule ovanthu ku Jeova. Opo atetulule otyitateka, wayumba onthumbi mu Jeova ahayumbu onthumbi mounongo wae muene ine ehando. Tyotyili, Eliya waamena efendelo liasukuka. Nonthue atuho tuhetekelei ekolelo lia Eliya!