1, 2. (a) Kodi Aisiraeli ankavutika ndi chiyani? (b) Kodi Eliya anakumana ndi zotani ali kuphiri la Karimeli?

M’MAWA wa tsiku lina, Eliya anayang’ana gulu la anthu amene ankakwera movutika phiri la Karimeli. Ngakhale kuti kunali kusanawale bwinobwino, anthuwo ankachita kuonekeratu kuti ali pa mavuto aakulu. Chilala chimene chinatenga zaka zitatu ndi theka, n’chimene chinachititsa kuti anthuwa akhale m’mavuto oterewa.

² Pagululi panali aneneri a Baala 450 omwe ankayenda monyada komanso modzikweza, ndipo ankadana kwambiri ndi Eliya yemwe anali mneneri wa Yehova. Mfumukazi Yezebeli anali atapha atumiki a Yehova ambiri, komabe Eliya sanasiye kulimbana ndi olambira Baala. Koma kodi iye akanapambanadi? N’kutheka kuti ansembe a Baala ankaganiza kuti Eliya sangapambane popeza anali yekha. (1 Maf. 18:4, 19, 20) Mfumu Ahabu anali atafikanso kuphiriku pa galeta lake lachifumu ndipo nayenso ankadana ndi Eliya.

3, 4. (a) N’chifukwa chiyani Eliya ayenera kuti anali ndi mantha pamene anthu ankasonkhana? (b) Kodi tikambirana mafunso ati m’nkhaniyi?

³ Pa nthawiyi wolambira woona anali Eliya yekha basi ndipo pa tsikuli panachitika zinthu zapadera kwambiri pa moyo wake. Pamene mneneriyu ankaona anthuwa akukwera phirili, anadziwa kuti pachitika zinthu zomwe zisonyeze kuti wamphamvu ndani pakati pa Yehova ndi anthu oipawo. Kodi iye anamva bwanji nthawiyi itafika? Anachita mantha, popeza “anali munthu monga ife tomwe.” (Werengani Yakobo 5:17.) Ndipo zikuoneka kuti Eliya anadzimvadi kuti anali yekhayekha ataona anthu opanda chikhulupirirowa, mfumu yawo yopandukayo ndiponso ansembe awo omwe ankapha anthu.—1 Maf. 18:22.

⁴ Koma kodi n’chiyani chinayambitsa mavuto onsewa? Ndipo kodi tingaphunzirepo chiyani pa nkhani imeneyi? Tiyeni tikambirane zimene Eliya anachita posonyeza kuti anali munthu wachikhulupiriro. Tikambirananso mmene nkhaniyi ingatithandizire.

5, 6. (a) Kodi Aisiraeli ankafunika kusankha pa nkhani iti? (b) Kodi Ahabu anachita zinthu ziti zomwe zinakwiyitsa kwambiri Yehova?

⁵ Pazaka zambiri za moyo wake, Eliya anaona anthu akunyalanyaza komanso kupondereza kulambira koona ndipo palibe chimene iye akanachita kuti izi zisamachitike. Kwanthawi yaitali, Aisiraeli anali pa nkhondo yoti asankhe pakati pa kulambira Yehova Mulungu ndi kulambira mafano amene mitundu ina inkalambira. Koma m’masiku a Eliya, kulimbana kumeneku kunali kutafika poipa kwambiri.

⁶ Mfumu Ahabu anali atalakwira kwambiri Yehova chifukwa anakwatira Yezebeli, mwana wa mfumu ya ku Sidoni. Yezebeli ankafunitsitsa kuti anthu onse m’dziko la Isiraeli azilambira Baala ndiponso kuti kulambira Yehova kutheretu. Ndipo Ahabu sanachedwe kuyamba kuyendera maganizo a mkazi wake. Iye anamangira Baala kachisi ndi guwa la nsembe ndipo ankatsogolera anthu kulambira mulungu wonyengayu.—1 Maf. 16:30-33.

7. (a) Kodi n’chiyani chinapangitsa kuti Mulungu azidana kwambiri ndi kulambira Baala? (b) Pa nkhani ya kutalika kwa chilala chimene chinachitika m’nthawi ya Eliya, n’chifukwa chiyani tinganene kuti Baibulo silidzitsutsa? (Onaninso  bokosi.)

⁷ Kodi n’chiyani chinapangitsa kuti Mulungu azidana kwambiri ndi kulambira Baala? Chifukwa kunakopa Aisiraeli ambiri kuti asiye kulambira Mulungu woona. Kunalinso konyansa chifukwa pakachisi wa Baala pankakhala mahule achimuna ndi achikazi. Anthu olambira Baala ankachitanso mapwando amene cholinga chake chinali kugonana mwachisawawa. Kulambiraku kunalinso kwa nkhanza chifukwa ankapereka nsembe ana. Choncho Yehova anatumiza Eliya kwa Ahabu kuti akanene za njala imene sidzatha pokhapokha mneneri wa Mulunguyu atalengeza kuti ithe. (1 Maf. 17:1) Panapita zaka zingapo kuti Eliya apitenso kwa Ahabu kukamuuza kuti asonkhanitse anthu ndi aneneri a Baala kuphiri la Karimeli. *

8. Kodi nkhani yokhudza kulambira Baala ikutiphunzitsa chiyani masiku ano?

⁸ Koma kodi masiku ano tingaphunzirepo chiyani pa nkhani ya kulimbana kwa Eliya ndi aneneri a Baala? Ena anganene kuti palibe chimene tingaphunzire pa nkhaniyi chifukwa masiku ano kulibe akachisi a Baala ndi maguwa ake a nsembe. Komabe nkhani imeneyi sikuti yangokhala mbiri ya kale basi. (Aroma 15:4) Mawu akuti “Baala” amatanthauza “mwiniwake” kapena kuti “mbuye.” Yehova anauza anthu ake kuti ayenera kumusankha iye kukhala “baala” wawo, kapena kuti mwamuna wawo. (Yes. 54:5) Kodi si zoona kuti masiku anonso anthu akutumikira ambuye osiyanasiyana osati Mulungu Wamphamvuyonse? Ngati anthu pa moyo wawo amangokhalira kufunafuna ndalama, ntchito, zosangalatsa, kuchita zachiwerewere kapena zinthu zina, ndiye kuti asankha zimenezi kukhala mbuye wawo. (Mat. 6:24; werengani Aroma 6:16.) Choncho, tingati zinthu zambiri zimene anthu ankachita polambira Baala zimachitikanso kwambiri masiku ano. Kukumbukira nkhani imeneyi, ya kulimbana pakati pa Yehova ndi Baala, kungatithandize kusankha mwanzeru woyenera kumutumikira.

9. (a) N’chifukwa chiyani tinganene kuti phiri la Karimeli linali malo abwino osonyezera anthu kuti kulambira Baala kunali kwachabechabe? (Onaninso mawu a m’munsi.) (b) Kodi Eliya anawauza chiyani anthu?

⁹ Munthu akaima pamwamba penipeni pa phiri la Karimeli ankatha kuona patali kwambiri, kuyambira kuchigwa cha Kisoni mpaka ku Nyanja Yaikulu (Mediterranean) imene inali pafupi ndi phirili. Ankathanso kuona mapiri a Lebanoni chakumpoto kwenikweni kwa dzikoli. * Pamene dzuwa linkakwera pa tsiku lapaderali, dziko lonse la Isiraeli linayamba kuonekeratu kuti linali louma. Dzikoli, lomwe Yehova anapatsa ana a Abulahamu, poyamba linali lachonde koma tsopano linali litaumiratu ndi chilala chadzaoneni chifukwa cha kusaganiza bwino kwa anthu a Mulungu. Anthu atasonkhana pamodzi, Eliya anawayandikira n’kunena kuti: “Kodi mukayikakayika mpaka liti? Ngati Yehova ali Mulungu woona m’tsateni, koma ngati Baala ndiye Mulungu woona tsatirani ameneyo.”—1 Maf. 18:21.

10. (a) Fotokozani mmene anthu a m’nthawi ya Eliya ankachitira zinthu mokayikakayika. (b) Kodi anthu amenewa anaiwala mfundo iti?

¹⁰ Kodi Aisiraeli ankasonyeza bwanji ‘kukayikakayika’? Anthu amenewa sankadziwa kuti ankafunika kusankha chimodzi, kulambira Yehova kapena kulambira Baala. Iwo ankaganiza kuti n’zotheka kusangalatsa Baala pochita miyambo yake yoipayo kwinaku akupempha Yehova Mulungu kuti aziwathandiza. Mwina ankaganiza kuti Baala azidalitsa mbewu ndi ziweto zawo, pamene “Yehova wa makamu” aziwateteza pa nkhondo. (1 Sam. 17:45) Iwo anaiwala mfundo yofunika kwambiri imenenso anthu ambiri masiku ano saidziwa, yakuti Yehova sagawana kulambira ndi milungu ina. Iye amafuna ndiponso ndi woyenera kulambiridwa mosagawanika. Iye savomereza komanso amadana ndi kulambira kwina kulikonse konyenga.—Werengani Ekisodo 20:5.

11. Kodi zimene Eliya ananena ali paphiri la Karimeli zingatithandize bwanji kuonanso bwinobwino zinthu zimene timaziona kuti n’zofunika ndiponso mmene kulambira kwathu kulili?

¹¹ Choncho Aisiraeliwo anali ngati munthu amene akufuna kuyenda njira ziwiri nthawi imodzi. Masiku anonso anthu ambiri amalakwitsa zinthu ngati mmene Aisiraeli anachitira. Iwo amayamba kuchita zinthu zina zokhudza kulambira konyenga, moti zimenezi zimawachititsa kusiya kulambira Mulungu. Kutsatira mawu ochenjeza ndiponso omveka bwino a Eliya amenewa, kungatithandize kuonanso bwinobwino zinthu zimene timaona kuti n’zofunika ndiponso mmene kulambira kwathu kulili.

12, 13. (a) Kodi Eliya anakonza zoti pakhale mayeso otani? (b) Kodi tingasonyeze bwanji kuti timadalira Yehova ngati mmene ankachitira Eliya?

¹² Kenako Eliya anaganiza kuti pakhale mayeso kuti anthu adziwe woyenera kumulambira. Ndipo mayeso ake anali osavuta. Ansembe a Baala anafunika kumanga guwa la nsembe n’kuikapo nsembe, kenako n’kupemphera kwa mulungu wawo kuti apsereze nsembeyo. Eliya nayenso anafunika kuchita chimodzimodzi. Iye anati: “Mulungu amene ayankhe potumiza moto ndiye Mulungu woona.” Eliya ankadziwa bwino yemwe anali Mulungu woona. Iye anali ndi chikhulupiriro cholimba kwambiri moti anawapatsa adani akewo mwayi wokhala ndi zinthu zonse zimene zikanawathandiza kuti nsembe yawo iyende bwino. Anawapatsanso mwayi woti akhale oyamba kupereka nsembeyo. Choncho anthuwa anasankha ng’ombe yamphongo yabwino, kenako anayamba kupemphera kwa Baala. *—1 Maf. 18:24, 25.

¹³ Masiku ano zozizwitsa sizichitikanso ngati kale. Komabe, Yehova sanasinthe ndipo tingamukhulupirire ngati mmene anachitira Eliya. Mwachitsanzo, ngati ena akutsutsa zimene Baibulo limaphunzitsa, tisamaope kuwalola kunena maganizo awo. Mofanana ndi Eliya, tizidalira kuti Mulungu ndi amene angathetse nkhaniyo. Ndipo tizichita zimenezi mwa kudalira Mawu ake ouziridwa amene analembedwa kuti ‘awongole zinthu.’—2 Tim. 3:16.

14. Kodi Eliya ananena zotani poseka aneneri a Baala ndipo n’chifukwa chiyani?

¹⁴ Aneneri a Baala anakonza nsembe yawo n’kuyamba kupemphera kwa mulungu wawo. Iwo ankafuula mobwerezabwereza kuti: “Inu a Baala, tiyankheni!” Iwo anachita zimenezi kwa nthawi yaitali. Koma Baibulo limati: “Sipanamveke mawu alionse, ndipo palibe anayankha.” Iwo anapitirizabe kuchita zimenezi mpaka masana ndipo Eliya anayamba kuwaseka kuti mwina Baala watanganidwa ndi zinazake, mwina wapita kuchimbudzi, kapena wagona ndipo akufunika kum’dzutsa. Kenako Eliya anauza anthu onyengawo kuti: “Muitaneni mokuwa kwambiri.” Iye ankadziwa kuti kulambira kwa anthu amenewa n’konyenga koma ankafuna kuti anthu a Mulungu aone okha kuti Baala analidi mulungu wonyenga.—1 Maf. 18:26, 27.

15. Kodi zimene zinachitikira ansembe a Baala zikusonyeza bwanji kuti n’kupusa kusankha mbuye wina osati Yehova?

¹⁵ Zitatero ansembe a Baala analusa kwambiri ndipo “anayamba kuitana mokuwa kwambiri n’kumadzicheka ndi mipeni ndi mikondo ing’onoing’ono malinga ndi mwambo wawo, mpaka magazi anayamba kutuluka ndi kuyenderera pamatupi awo.” Koma zonsezi sizinaphule kanthu chifukwa “sipanamveke mawu alionse. Palibe anawayankha kapena kuwamvera.” (1 Maf. 18:28, 29) Izi zinasonyeza kuti Baala anali mulungu wongopeka chabe, woti kunalibe. Satana ndi amene anapangitsa anthuwo kuti aziganiza kuti kuli Baala n’cholinga choti asiye kulambira Yehova. Koma zomwe tiyenera kudziwa ndi zakuti, ngati titasankha mbuye wina osati Yehova, tidzagwiritsidwa mwala ndiponso tidzachita manyazi.—Werengani Salimo 25:3; 115:4-8.

16. (a) Kodi mmene Eliya anakonzera guwa la nsembe la Yehova paphiri la Karimeli ziyenera kuti zinakumbutsa Aisiraeli chiyani? (b) Kodi Eliya anasonyeza bwanji kuti ankakhulupirira Mulungu wake?

¹⁶ Chakumadzulo, inafika nthawi yoti Eliya nayenso apereke nsembe yake. Iye anakonzanso guwa la nsembe la Yehova limene mwina linagumulidwa ndi anthu amene ankadana ndi kulambira koona. Pokonza guwali, iye anagwiritsa ntchito miyala 12, mwina pofuna kukumbutsa anthu a mu ufumu wa mafuko 10 a Isiraeli kuti ankafunika kutsatirabe Chilamulo chimene chinaperekedwa kwa mafuko onse 12 a Isiraeli. Ndiyeno anaika nsembe yakeyo paguwapo n’kuithira madzi ambiri ndipo mwina madziwo ankawatunga m’nyanja ya Mediterranean imene inali pafupi ndi malowa. Anakumbanso ngalande mozungulira guwalo, n’kudzazitsamo madzi. Eliya anapatsa mwayi aneneri a Baala kuti achite chilichonse chimene chikanathandiza kuti moto wawo uyake. Koma iye popereka nsembe yake anachita zonse zimene zikanachititsa kuti moto usayake. Anachita zimenezi chifukwa anali ndi chikhulupiriro chonse kuti Mulungu wake sangalephere.—1 Maf. 18:30-35.

17. Kodi zimene Eliya anatchula m’pemphero lake zinasonyeza kuti ankaganizira kwambiri chiyani, nanga tingamutsanzire bwanji?

¹⁷ Eliya atamaliza kukonza nsembe ndiponso guwa loperekerapo nsembeyo, anayamba kupemphera kwa Yehova. Pemphero lake linali lomveka bwino ndipo linasonyeza zinthu zimene ankaziona kuti n’zofunika kwambiri. Choyamba, iye ankafunitsitsa kuti anthu adziwe zoti Yehova ndiye “Mulungu wa Isiraeli,” osati Baala. Chachiwiri, ankafuna kuti anthu onse adziwe kuti ntchito yake inali kutumikira Yehova, ndiponso kuti Mulungu ndiye woyenera kupatsidwa ulemerero. Chomaliza, anasonyeza kuti ankaganizirabe anthu a mtundu wake, chifukwa ankafunitsitsa kuti Yehova ‘abweze mitima yawo.’ (1 Maf. 18:36, 37) Eliya ankawakondabe anthuwo ngakhale kuti kusakhulupirika kwawo kunabweretsa mavuto ambiri. Mofanana ndi Eliya, tikamapemphera kwa Mulungu, tiyenera kusonyeza kudzichepetsa, kudera nkhawa dzina la Mulungu komanso kumvera chifundo anthu ena.

18, 19. (a) Kodi Yehova anayankha bwanji pemphero la Eliya? (b) Kodi Eliya analamula anthu kuchita chiyani, nanga n’chifukwa chiyani ansembe sanafunike kuwachitira chifundo?

¹⁸ Eliya asanapemphere, anthuwo ayenera kuti ankaganiza kuti Yehova nayenso saatha kuyatsa moto. Koma zimene anthuwa anaona Eliya atangomaliza kupemphera, zinawapangitsa kuti asakayikenso. Nkhaniyi imati: “Atatero, moto wa Yehova unatsika n’kunyeketsa nsembe yopsereza ija, nkhuni, miyala ndi fumbi lomwe. Unaumitsanso madzi amene anali m’ngalande muja.” (1 Maf. 18:38) Ili linalidi yankho lothetsa makani. Koma kodi anthu anatani ataona zimenezi?

¹⁹ Onse anafuula kuti: “Yehova ndiye Mulungu woona! Yehova ndiye Mulungu woona!” (1 Maf. 18:39) Apa anthuwa anadziwa kuti Yehova ndi Mulungu woona. Komabe, zimene iwo ananenazi si unali umboni woti ali ndi chikhulupiriro. Kunena zoona, kuvomereza kuti Yehova ndi Mulungu woona ataona moto wochokera kumwamba chifukwa cha pemphero la Eliya, si umboni weniweni wakuti anthuwo anali ndi chikhulupiriro. Choncho Eliya anawapempha kuti asonyeze chikhulupirirocho. Iye anawauza kuti atsatire Chilamulo cha Yehova ndipo izi n’zimene ankafunika kuti azichita m’mbuyo monsemo. Chilamulo cha Mulungu chinanena kuti aneneri onyenga ndi olambira mafano ankayenera kuphedwa. (Deut. 13:5-9) Aneneri a Baala amenewa anali adani a Yehova Mulungu popeza ankachita dala zinthu zimene iye amadana nazo. Kodi ankayenera kuwachitira chifundo? Ayi, chifukwa iwonso sanachitire chifundo ana osalakwa amene ankawawotcha ali moyo powapereka nsembe kwa Baala. (Werengani Miyambo 21:13; Yer. 19:5) Aneneri amenewa sanayenere kuchitiridwa chifundo ngakhale pang’ono. Choncho, Eliya analamula kuti iwo aphedwe, ndipo anaphedwadi.—1 Maf. 18:40.

20. N’chifukwa chiyani tingati zimene anthu ena amanena zokhudza zomwe Eliya anachitira ansembe a Baala si zoona?

²⁰ Anthu otsutsa akhoza kunena kuti zimene Eliya anachita popha aneneri a Baala paphiri la Karimeli sichinali chilungamo. Ena amada nkhawa kuti zimene zinachitika paphirili zingachititse kuti anthu ena azizunza anzawo chifukwa chosiyana zipembedzo. Ndipo n’zomvetsa chisoni kuti masiku ano pali anthu ambiri otere amene amachita zachiwawa m’dzina la chipembedzo. Komatu Eliya sanali ngati anthu amenewa. Iye anaimira Yehova ndipo chilango chimene anapereka chinali choyenera. Komabe, Akhristu enieni amadziwa kuti sayenera kupha anthu oipa ponena kuti akutsanzira zimene Eliya anachita. M’malomwake iwo amatsatira zimene Yesu anauza Petulo zomwe zimagwira ntchito kwa Akhristu onse. Iye anati: “Bwezera lupanga lako m’chimake, pakuti onse ogwira lupanga adzafa ndi lupanga.” (Mat. 26:52) M’tsogolo muno Yehova adzagwiritsa ntchito Mwana wake kuweruza anthu mwachilungamo.

21. N’chifukwa chiyani Eliya ndi chitsanzo chabwino kwa Akhristu onse masiku ano?

²¹ Mkhristu woona aliyense ayenera kukhala ndi chikhulupiriro. (Yoh. 3:16) Njira imodzi yotithandiza kukhala ndi chikhulupiriro ndi kutsanzira anthu okhulupirika ngati Eliya. Iye ankalambira Yehova yekha basi ndipo analimbikitsa ena kuchita chimodzimodzi. Eliya anasonyezeratu poyera kuti olambira a Baala anali onyenga ndipo Satana ndi amene ankawagwiritsa ntchito n’cholinga choti asiye kulambira Yehova. Komanso Eliya anadalira Yehova kuti athetse nkhaniyo m’malo modalira mphamvu zake. Monga taonera, Eliya sanasunthike pakulambira koona. Choncho, tiyeni tonsefe tiziyesetsa kutsanzira chikhulupiriro chake.