1, 2. Ziziphi izinto ezimangalisayo awazibonayo uEliya ebomini bakhe, kodwa ziziphi iziganeko ezikhwankqisayo awazibonayo kumqolomba weNtaba iHorebhe?

 UELIYA wayebone izinto ezimangalisayo ngaphambili. Wayebone amahlungulu emzisela ukutya kabini ngemini ngoxa wayezimele. Wayebone iingqayi ezimbini zomgubo neoli zisetyenziswa ebudeni bethuba elide lendlala kodwa zingapheli. Wayede wabona nomlilo usihla esibhakabhakeni kuphendulwa umthandazo wakhe. (1 Kumkani, isahluko 17, 18) Sekunjalo, le ayibonayo ngoku uEliya ayifani nayo nantoni na awakhe wayibona.

² Njengoko wayechophile ngasesangweni lomqolomba weNtaba iHorebhe, wabona uthotho lweziganeko ezikhwankqisayo. Kwaqala kwavuthuza umoya. Umele ukuba wawubhudla ngamandla, ngomgqumokazi omkhulu, kuba wawunamandla kangangokuba wada waqhekeza iintaba namawa. Emva koko kwalandela inyikima, eyawudiliza umhlaba ngamandlakazi amakhulu. Kwaza kwafika umlilo. Njengoko wawuqhuqhumba utshisa yonke into kuloo ngingqi, uEliya umele ukuba wayiva ingqatsini yobushushu bawo.—1 Kumkani 19:8-12.

3. UEliya wabona ubungqina baluphi uphawu lukaThixo, yaye thina sinokububona phi ubungqina bolo phawu?

³ Zonke ezi ziganeko zahlukeneyo zabonwa nguEliya zazinento enye ezazifana ngayo—zazibonakalisa amandla amakhulu kaYehova uThixo. Kambe ke, akukho mfuneko yokuba sibone ummangaliso ukuze sibone olu phawu lukaThixo. Luzicacele nje. IBhayibhile isixelela ukuba indalo inikela ubungqina ‘bamandla angapheliyo nesikhundla sokuba nguThixo’ sikaYehova. (Roma 1:20) Khawucinge nje ngokulenyeza kombane nokugqekreza kweendudumo, ukuqukuqela okuhle kwamanzi eengxangxasi, ubukhulu obumangalisayo besibhakabhaka esineenkwenkwezi! Ngaba oko akukubonisi amandla kaThixo? Ukanti, bambalwa abantu kwihlabathi lanamhlanje abawaqondayo amandla kaThixo. Bambalwa nangakumbi  abakuqondayo ukusebenza kwawo. Noko ke, ukuluqonda olu phawu lukaThixo, kusinika izizathu ezininzi zokusondela kuYehova. Kweli candelo siza kuwahlolisisa ngokweenkcukacha amandla angenakuthelekiswa nanto kaYehova.

4, 5. (a) Kuthiwa lithetha ukuthini igama likaYehova? (b) Kutheni kufanelekile nje ukukhetha kukaYehova inkunzi yenkomo ukufuzisela amandla akhe?

⁴ UYehova unamandla akhethekileyo. UYeremiya 10:6 uthi: “Akukho mntu unjengawe, owu Yehova. Umkhulu, negama lakho likhulu yaye linamandla.” Phawula ukuba igama likaYehova kuthiwa likhulu futhi linamandla. Khumbula ukuba, ubungqina bubonisa ukuba eli gama lithetha ukuba “Ubangela Kubekho.” Yintoni emenza uYehova akwazi ukuzenza abe kuko nakuphi na akhetha ukuba kuko? Enye yezo zinto, ngamandla akhe. Ewe, amandla kaYehova okwenza izinto, nawokuphumeza ukuthanda kwakhe, akasikelwanga mda. Loo mandla alolunye lweempawu zakhe ezibalaseleyo.

⁵ Ekubeni singenakubuqonda ngokupheleleyo ubukhulu bamandla akhe, uYehova usebenzisa imizekeliso ukusinceda. Njengoko sibonile, usebenzisa inkunzi yenkomo ukufuzisela amandla akhe. (Hezekile 1:4-10) Loo mzekeliso ufanelekile, kuba kwanenkunzi yenkomo efuyiweyo isisidalwa esikhulu nesinamandla. Abantu basePalestina ngamaxesha okubhalwa kweBhayibhile, babengafane badibane nayo nantoni na enamandla njengayo. Kodwa babesazi uhlobo oluthile lwenkunzi yenkomo eyoyikeka ngakumbi—inkunzi yenkomo yasendle, engasekhoyo ngoku. (Yobhi 39:9-12) Umlawuli waseRoma uJulius Caesar wakha wathi ezi nkunzi zeenkomo zazibulingana neendlovu. Wabhala wathi: “Makhulu amandla azo, makhulu namendu azo.” Khawuyithelekelele nje indlela obuya kuziva umncinane yaye ubuthathaka ngayo xa ubunokuba secaleni kweso sidalwa!

6. Kutheni inguYehova kuphela obizwa ngokuthi “Somandla”?

⁶ Ngokufanayo, abantu bancinane kakhulu yaye babuthathaka  xa bethelekiswa noThixo onamandla, uYehova. Kuye, kwaneentlanga ezomeleleyo zifana nje nesuntswana lothuli ezikalini. (Isaya 40:15) Ngokungafaniyo naso nasiphi na isidalwa, uYehova unamandla angasikelwanga mda, kuba nguye kuphela obizwa ngokuthi “Somandla.” a (ISityhilelo 15:3) UYehova ‘unamandla amakhulu’ yaye ‘unamandla amangalisayo.’ (Isaya 40:26) UnguMthombo wamandla angapheliyo. Akaxhomekekanga kuwo nawuphi na umthombo ongaphandle wamandla, kuba “amandla ngakaThixo.” (INdumiso 62:11) Kodwa, uYehova uwasebenzisa njani amandla akhe?

7. Uyintoni umoya oyingcwele kaYehova, yaye asichazela ntoni ngawo amagama olwimi lwakudala asetyenzisiweyo eBhayibhileni?

⁷ Umoya oyingcwele ohla uvela kuYehova awupheli. Ungamandla kaThixo asebenzayo. Kangangokuba, kwiGenesis 1:2, iBhayibhile ibhekisela kuwo ‘njengamandla kaThixo asebenzayo.’ Igama lakudala lesiHebhere nelesiGrike eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “umoya,” kwezinye iindawo lisengaguqulelwa nangokuthi “umoya obhudlayo,” “impefumlo,” nangokuthi “ukuqhushumba.” Ngokutsho kwababhali bezichazi-magama, amagama olwimi lwakudala ayebhekisela ekusebenzeni kwamandla angabonakaliyo. Njengomoya ovuthuzayo, umoya kaThixo awubonakali emehlweni ethu, kodwa uyasebenza ngokwenene yaye ngokubonakalayo.

8. EBhayibhileni, ubizwa njani umoya kaThixo, yaye kutheni kufanelekile nje ukuwufanisa ngaloo ndlela?

⁸ UYehova unokuwusebenzisa nangayiphi na indlela umoya wakhe oyingcwele ukuze enze nantoni na ayifunayo. Yiloo nto eBhayibhileni ngamany’ amaxesha kusithwa umoya kaThixo ‘ngumnwe’ wakhe, ‘isandla sakhe esomeleleyo,’ okanye ‘ingalo yakhe eyoluliweyo.’ (Luka 11:20; Duteronomi 5:15; INdumiso 8:3) Kanye njengokuba umntu enokusebenzisa isandla  sakhe ekwenzeni imisebenzi emininzi efuna ubuchule namandla ahlukahlukeneyo, ngoko noThixo unokuwusebenzisa umoya wakhe ukuphumeza nayiphi na injongo—njengokudala isuntswana elincinane kakhulu leathom okanye ukwahlukanisa uLwandle Olubomvu okanye ukwenza amaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala athethe ngeelwimi zasemzini.

9. Makhulu kangakanani amandla kaYehova okulawula?

⁹ UYehova uphinda awasebenzise amandla akhe ngegunya lakhe lokuba nguMongami Wendalo Yonke. Khawuyicinge le nto: uYehova ulawula iimiliyoni ezininzi zabakhonzi bakhe abakufunayo ukwenza nantoni na athi mabayenze? Lawo ngamandla okulawula anawo uYehova. Unabakhonzi abangabantu, abadla ngokufaniswa eZibhalweni kunye nomkhosi. (INdumiso 68:11; 110:3) Noko ke, umntu usisidalwa esingenamandla xa ethelekiswa nengelosi. Kaloku, xa umkhosi wama-Asiriya wahlasela abantu bakaThixo, ingelosi nje enye yabulala amajoni ayi-185 000 ngobusuku nje obunye! (2 Kumkani 19:35) Iingelosi zikaThixo “zinamandla.”—INdumiso 103:19, 20.

10. (a) Kutheni uSomandla ebizwa ngokuba nguYehova wemikhosi? (b) Ngubani oyena unamandla kuyo yonke indalo kaYehova?

¹⁰ Zingaphi iingelosi ezikhoyo? Umprofeti uDaniyeli waboniswa umbono wezulu awabona kuwo iingelosi ezingaphezu kwe-100 miliyoni zimi phambi kwetrone kaYehova, kodwa akukho nto ibonisa ukuba wazibona zonke iingelosi. (Daniyeli 7:10) Ngoko kusenokuba kukho iimiliyoni ezingamakhulukhulu zeengelosi. Ngenxa yoko uThixo ubizwa ngokuba nguYehova wemikhosi. Esi sibizo sichaza igunya lakhe njengoMyaleli wenkitha yeengelosi ezinamandla nezilungeleleneyo. Uye wamisela uNyana wakhe, ‘ekwaqala kwadalwa yena kuyo yonke indalo,’ ukuba aphathe zonke ezi zidalwa zomoya. (Kolose 1:15) Njengengelosi enkulu—umphathi wazo zonke iingelosi, iiserafi neekherubhi—uYesu ungoyena unamandla kuyo yonke indalo kaYehova.

11, 12. (a) Ilizwi likaThixo linamandla ngaziphi iindlela? (b) UYesu wabungqina njani ubukhulu bamandla kaYehova?

¹¹ Ikho nenye indlela uYehova awasebenzisa ngayo amandla akhe. AmaHebhere 4:12 athi: “Ilizwi likaThixo liphilile,  linamandla.” Ngaba uye wayiphawula indlela elinamandla ngayo ilizwi, okanye umyalezo, uThixo aye wawuphefumlela, oseBhayibhileni? Linokusomeleza, liqinise ukholo lwethu, lize lisincede senze utshintsho olukhulu ebomini bethu. Umpostile uPawulos walumkisa abo wayekholwa kunye nabo ukuba babaphephe abantu ababandakanyeke ekuziphatheni okubi. Wandula ke wongezelela wathi: “Kanti abanye benu babekhe banjalo.” (1 Korinte 6:9-11) Ewe, kwasebenza amandla ‘elizwi likaThixo’ kubo, labanceda ukuba batshintshe.

¹² Amandla kaYehova makhulu kakhulu yaye neendlela zokuwasebenzisa zininzi kangangokuba akukho nto inokuwathintela. UYesu wathi: “KuThixo yonke into ingenzeka.” (Mateyu 19:26) UYehova uwasebenzisela ukuphumeza yiphi injongo amandla akhe?

13, 14. (a) Kutheni sinokuthi uYehova akangomthombo nje ongaphiliyo wamandla? (b) UYehova uwasebenzisa ngaziphi iindlela amandla akhe?

¹³ Umoya kaYehova ungaphezu kwawo nawaphi na amandla okwenyama; yaye uYehova akanguwo nje umthombo ongaphiliyo wamandla. UnguThixo ongumntu owalawula ngokupheleleyo amandla akhe. Noko ke, yintoni emshukumisela ekuthini awasebenzise?

¹⁴ Njengoko siza kubona, uThixo usebenzisa amandla ukudala, ukutshabalalisa, ukukhusela, ukubuyisela—ngamafutshane singathi, ukwenza nantoni na ukuze aphumeze iinjongo zakhe ezigqibeleleyo. (Isaya 46:10) Kwezinye iimeko, uYehova uwasebenzisa amandla akhe ukuze asifundise ukuba unjani nokuba yintoni ayilindeleyo kuthi. Ngaphezu kwako konke, uwasebenzisa amandla akhe ukuze aphumeze ukuthanda kwakhe—ukungcwalisa igama lakhe elingcwele ngoBukumkani bukaMesiya, ebonisa ukuba indlela yakhe yokulawula yeyona ibhetele. Akukho nto inokuze iyithintele loo njongo.

15. Yeyiphi indlela uYehova awasebenzisa ngayo amandla akhe kubakhonzi bakhe, yaye le nto yabonakala njani kwimeko kaEliya?

 ¹⁵ Kwakhona uYehova usebenzisa amandla akhe ukuze kuncedakale thina. Phawula oko kuthethwa yeyesi-2 yeziKronike 16:9, ethi: “Amehlo kaYehova ajonga-jonga emhlabeni wonke ukuze abonise amandla akhe ngenxa yabo bantliziyo zipheleleyo kuye.” Umzekelo woku, ngamava kaEliya ekuthethwe ngawo ekuqaleni. Kwakutheni ukuze uYehova awabonakalise ngendlela eyoyikeka ngolo hlobo amandla akhe kuye? Kaloku, uKumkanikazi ongendawo uIzebhele wayefunge ukumbulala uEliya. Lo mprofeti wabaleka, esindisa ubomi bakhe. Wayelilolo, esoyika, yaye edimazekile—ngokungathi konke ukusebenza kwakhe nzima kwakulilize. Ukuze akhuthaze le ndoda idandathekileyo, uYehova wamkhumbuza ngokucacileyo uEliya ngamandla akhe obuthixo. Loo moya, inyikima, nomlilo, zazibonisa ukuba uEliya wayekunye noyena Mntu unamandla kwindalo yonke. Wayenokumoyikela ntoni uIzebhele, xa exhaswa nguThixo usomandla?—1 Kumkani 19:1-12. b

16. Kutheni kufanele kusikhuthaze ukucingisisa ngamandla amakhulu kaYehova?

¹⁶ Nangona ngoku ingeloxesha lakhe lokwenza imimangaliso, uYehova akaguqukanga kwinto awayeyiyo ngexesha likaEliya. (1 Korinte 13:8) Usakunqwenela ngendlela efanayo nanamhlanje ukusebenzisa amandla akhe ngenxa yabo bamthandayo. Liyinyaniso elokuba, uhlala kummandla ophakamileyo womoya, kodwa akakude kuthi. Amandla akhe akamiselwanga mda, ngoko umgama awungomqobo kuye. Kunoko, “uYehova usondele kubo bonke abo bakhalela kuye.” (INdumiso 145:18) Ngesinye isihlandlo xa umprofeti uDaniyeli wakhalela kuYehova ecela uncedo, kwafika ingelosi engekagqibi nokuthandaza! (Daniyeli 9:20-23) Ayikho into enokuthintela uYehova ukuba angabancedi aze abomeleze abo bamthandayo.—INdumiso 118:6.

17. Amandla kaYehova asenza soyike ngeyiphi indlela, kodwa luhlobo olunjani loloyiko angasenzi sibe nalo?

¹⁷ Ngaba amandla kaThixo afanele asenze simoyike? Simele siphendule ngokuthi ewe nangokuthi hayi. Sithi ewe kuba olu phawu lusinika isizathu esihle sokuba noloyiko lobuthixo, uloyiko nentlonelo enkulu esixubushe ngokufutshane ngayo kwisahluko esingaphambili. IBhayibhile isixelela ukuba, olo loyiko ‘lukukuqala kobulumko.’ (INdumiso 111:10) Noko ke, sikwaphendula nangokuthi hayi kuba amandla kaThixo akasiniki sizathu sakuba nedyudyu ngaye okanye soyike ukusondela kuye.

18. (a) Kutheni abantu abaninzi bengabathembi nje abo banegunya? (b) Sazi njani ukuba uYehova akanakonakaliswa ligunya analo?

¹⁸ “Igunya liyonakalisa, igunya elipheleleyo lonakalisa ngokupheleleyo.” Wabhala watsho omnye umbhali-mbali oliNgesi uLord Acton ngo-1887. La mazwi akhe aye aphindaphindwa kaninzi, mhlawumbi ngenxa yesizathu sokuba abantu abaninzi bawabona eyinyaniso engenakuphikiswa. Abantu abangafezekanga badla ngokulisebenzisa kakubi igunya, njengoko nembali ingqina. (INtshumayeli 4:1; 8:9) Ngenxa yeso sizathu, abantu abaninzi ababathembi abo banegunya baze badedele kude kubo. UYehova yena unegunya elipheleleyo. Ngaba liye lamonakalisa ngandlel’ ithile? Ngokuqinisekileyo akunjalo! Njengoko sibonile, ungcwele, akanako nakancinane ukonakala. UYehova akafani namadoda namabhinqa angafezekanga anegunya kweli hlabathi lonakeleyo. Akazange alisebenzise kakubi igunya lakhe, yaye akasayi kuze enjenjalo.

19, 20. (a) UYehova usoloko ewabonakalisa amandla akhe ngokuvisisana naziphi ezinye iimpawu, yaye kutheni kukhuthaza nje oku? (b) Ungakuzekelisa njani ukuzibamba kukaYehova, yaye kutheni oko kunomtsalane nje kuwe?

¹⁹ Khumbula ukuba, ayingomandla kuphela uphawu analo uYehova. Siseza kufunda nangobulungisa bakhe, ubulumko bakhe, nothando lwakhe. Kodwa asifanele sicinge ukuba iimpawu zikaYehova zibonakala ngokukhethekileyo, ngokungathi wayebonakalisa uphawu olunye ngexesha. Kunoko, siza kubona kwizahluko  ezilandelayo ukuba uYehova usoloko ewabonakalisa amandla akhe ngokuvisisana nobulungisa bakhe, ubulumko bakhe, nothando lwakhe. Khawucinge nje ngolunye uphawu lukaThixo, olunqabileyo kubalawuli behlabathi—ukuzibamba.

²⁰ Khawuzithelekelele udibana nomntu omkhulu nonamandla kangangokuba ude umoyike. Kodwa, ekuhambeni kwexesha uphawula ukuba unobubele. Usoloko ekulungele yaye ekulangazelela ukuwasebenzisa amandla akhe ekuncedeni nasekukhuseleni abantu, ingakumbi abo bangenakuzinceda nabazizisulu. Akaze awasebenzise kakubi amandla akhe. Xa abanye bethetha ubuxoki ngaye befuna ukungcolisa igama lakhe, uhlala ezolile futhi enobubele. Uyazibuza ukuba kazi wena ubuya kukwazi na ukubonisa ububele nokuzibamba ngaloo ndlela, ingakumbi ukuba ubunamandla njengaye! Njengoko usiya umazi ngakumbi loo mntu, ngaba ubungayi kuqalisa ukuziva utsalelekile kuye? Sinesizathu esikhulu ngakumbi sokusondela kuYehova usomandla. Phawula isivakalisi esipheleleyo ekusekelwe kuso esi sahluko: “UYehova akakhawulezi ukucaphuka yaye unamandla kakhulu.” (Nahum 1:3) UYehova akakhawulezi ukusebenzisa amandla akhe ukuze ohlwaye abantu, kwanabo bangabenzi-bubi. Unobulali nobubele. Kuye kwacaca ukuba “akakhawulezi ukucaphuka” nangona zininzi izinto ezimcaphukisayo ezenziwe ngabantu.—INdumiso 78:37-41.

21. Kutheni uYehova engabanyanzeli abantu ukuba benze ukuthanda kwakhe, yaye oku kusifundisa ntoni ngaye?

 ²¹ Cinga nangale nto: Ukuba ubunamandla anjengakaYehova, ngaba ubuza kunyanzela abanye ukuba benze into oyifunayo? Phezu kwawo nje onke amandla anawo, uYehova akabanyanzeli abantu ukuba bamkhonze. Nangona ukukhonza uThixo kukukuphela kwendlela yokufumana ubomi obungunaphakade, uYehova akasinyanzeli ukuba simkhonze. Kunoko, unika mntu ngamnye isidima senkululeko yokuzikhethela. Usilumkisa ngemiphumo yokhetho olubi aze asixelele ngemivuzo yokhetho olulungileyo. Kodwa ukhetho, ulushiyela kuthi. (Duteronomi 30:19, 20) UYehova akanamdla kwinkonzo yesinyanzelo neyenziwa ngenxa yokutyhwatyhwa ngenxa yamandla akhe oyikekayo. Ufuna ukuba simkhonze ngokuzithandela, ngokuqhutywa luthando.—2 Korinte 9:7.

22, 23. (a) Yintoni ebonisa ukuba uYehova uyakuvuyela ukunika abanye amandla? (b) Yintoni esiza kuyihlolisisa kwisahluko esilandelayo?

²² Makhe sihlolisise isizathu sokugqibela sokuba singafanele sibe nedyudyu ngoThixo uSomandla. Abantu abanegunya badla ngokoyika ukwabelana ngegunya labo kunye nabanye. Noko ke, yena uYehova uyakuvuyela ukubanika igunya abanquli bakhe abanyanisekileyo. Ubanika igunya elikhulu abanye, njengoNyana wakhe. (Mateyu 28:18) Kwakhona uYehova ubanika amandla abakhonzi bakhe ngenye indlela. IBhayibhile ichaza isithi: “Owu Yehova, bobakho ubukhulu, amandla, ubuhle, ukubalasela nobungangamsha, kuba yonke into esemazulwini nesemhlabeni yeyakho. . . . Amandla nokomelela kusesandleni sakho, isandla sakho siyakwazi ukwenza nabani na abe mkhulu nokuzinika amandla zonke izinto.”—1 Kronike 29:11, 12.

²³ Ewe, uYehova uya kukuvuyela ukukomeleza. Ude abanike “amandla . . . angaqhelekanga” abo bafuna ukumkhonza. (2 Korinte 4:7) Ngaba akuziva utsalelekile kulo Thixo unamandla, osebenzisa amandla akhe ngobubele nangobulungisa ngaloo ndlela? Kwisahluko esilandelayo, siza kuhlolisisa indlela uYehova awasebenzisa ngayo amandla akhe ekudaleni.