1, 2. Kodi Eliya anapatsidwa ntchito yovuta iti, nanga anali wosiyana bwanji ndi Ahabu?

ELIYA ankafunitsitsa kukhala payekha n’cholinga choti apemphere kwa Atate wake wakumwamba. Koma pa nthawiyi n’kuti gulu la anthu litamuzungulira mneneriyu chifukwa linamuona akupemphera kuti Mulungu abweretse moto kuchokera kumwamba. Mosakayikira anthu ambiri ankafunitsitsa kuchita zinthu zomukopa mneneriyu kuti aziwakonda. Koma Eliya asanakwere pamwamba pa phiri la Karimeli kuti akapemphere payekha kwa Yehova Mulungu, anapatsidwa ntchito yovuta kwabasi. Ntchito yake inali yoti akalankhule ndi Mfumu Ahabu.

² Pa nthawiyi, n’kuti dzuwa litatsala pang’ono kulowa ndipo zimene zinachitika pa tsikuli zinaonetseratu makhalidwe a anthu awiriwa. Ahabu ndi Eliya anali anthu osiyana kwambiri. Ahabu, yemwe anali atavala zovala zachifumu, anali wadyera ndiponso wampatuko. Eliya, anali atavala chovala cha mneneri chomwe mwina chinali chachikopa, kapena chopangidwa ndi ubweya wa ngamila kapenanso wa mbuzi. Mneneriyu anali munthu wolimba mtima ndiponso wokhulupirika kwambiri.

3, 4. (a) N’chiyani chinachititsa kuti Ahabu ndiponso anthu olambira Baala zinthu zisawayendere bwino? (b) Kodi tikambirana mafunso ati?

³ Pa tsikuli, Ahabu komanso anthu olambira Baala zinthu sizinawayendere bwino. Olambira onyenga a mu ufumu wa Isiraeli wa mafuko 10, amene ankatsogoleredwa ndi Ahabu ndiponso mkazi wake Yezebeli, anali atachititsidwa manyazi kwambiri. Zomwe zinachitika pa tsikuli zinasonyezeratu kuti Baala anali mulungu wonyenga. Mulungu wonyengayu sanathe kuyatsa moto ngakhale kuti aneneri ake anamuchonderera, kuvina ndiponso kudzichekacheka popemphera. Iye analepheranso kuteteza aneneri ake 450 amenewa kuti asaphedwe. Ndipo mulungu wonyengayu analepheranso kuthetsa chilala chomwe chinakhalapo kwa zaka zoposa zitatu ngakhale kuti aneneri ake ankamuchonderera kwambiri kuti achithetse. Koma Yehova anali atatsala pang’ono kuonetsa kuti iye ndiye Mulungu woona mwa kuthetsa chilalacho.—1 Maf. 16:30–34; 17:1; 18:1-40.

⁴ Koma kodi panali patatsala nthawi yaitali bwanji kuti Yehova achite zimenezi? Kodi Eliya ankachita chiyani podikira nthawi imeneyi? Nanga ifeyo tingaphunzirepo chiyani pa zimene munthu wokhulupirikayu anachita? Tiyeni tione mayankho a mafunso amenewa pamene tikukambirana nkhani ya Eliya.—Werengani 1 Mafumu 18:41-46.

5. (a) Fotokozani zimene Eliya anauza Ahabu kuti achite. (b) Kodi Ahabu anaphunzirapo kanthu pa zimene zinachitika pa tsikuli?

⁵ Eliya anapita kwa Ahabu n’kumuuza kuti: “Pitani mukadye ndi kumwa, chifukwa kukumveka mkokomo wa chimvula.” Kodi mfumu yoipayi inali itaphunzirapo kanthu pa zimene zinachitika pa tsikuli? Nkhaniyi siinena mwachindunji, koma pali umboni wakuti mfumuyi sinalape ndiponso sinapemphe mneneriyu kuti aipempherere kwa Yehova kuti aikhululukire. M’malomwake, “anapitadi kukadya ndi kukamwa.” (1 Maf. 18:41, 42) Nanga Eliya ankachita chiyani?

6, 7. Kodi Eliya anapempherera chiyani ndipo n’chifukwa chiyani?

⁶ Nkhaniyi imati: “Koma Eliya anapita pamwamba pa phiri la Karimeli. Ndiyeno anakhala chogwada ataika nkhope yake pakati pa mawondo ake.” Pa nthawi imene Ahabu ankapita kukakhutitsa mimba yake, Eliya anapeza mpata wopemphera kwa Atate wake wakumwamba. Tangoonani mmene Eliya anadzichepetsera popemphera. Iye anagwada pansi n’kuwerama mpaka nkhope yake kutsala pang’ono kugunda maondo ake. Kodi Eliya ankapempha chiyani? Tiyeni tione zimene Baibulo limanena. Lemba la Yakobo 5:18 limatiuza kuti Eliya anapemphera kuti chilala chithe. N’zosakayikitsa kuti iye ankapemphera ali pamwamba pa phiri la Karimeli.

⁷ Izi zisanachitike, Yehova anali atalonjeza kuti: “Ndikufuna kubweretsa mvula padziko lapansi.” (1 Maf. 18:1) Choncho Eliya anapemphera kuti zimene Yehova analonjeza zikwaniritsidwe. Ndipo patapita zaka 1,000, Yesu nayenso anaphunzitsa otsatira ake kuti azipemphera kuti zimene Mulungu amafuna zikwaniritsidwe.—Mat. 6:9, 10.

8. Kodi chitsanzo cha Eliya chikutiphunzitsa chiyani pa nkhani ya pemphero?

⁸ Chitsanzo cha Eliya chikutiphunzitsa zambiri pa nkhani ya pemphero. Mfundo yaikulu ya pemphero la Eliya inali yoti zofuna za Mulungu zikwaniritsidwe. Tikamapemphera, ndi bwino kukumbukira kuti: “Chilichonse chimene tingapemphe mogwirizana ndi chifuniro chake, [Mulungu] amatimvera.” (1 Yoh. 5:14) Apatu, n’zoonekeratu kuti tiyenera kudziwa zimene Mulungu amafuna n’cholinga choti tizipempha mogwirizana ndi chifuniro chakecho. Ndipo kuti zimenezi zitheke, tiyenera kuphunzira Baibulo tsiku ndi tsiku. Eliya ankafunitsitsanso kuti chilala chithe chifukwa ankaona kuti anthu a mtundu wake akuvutika kwambiri. Zikuonekanso kuti anayamikira kwambiri Yehova chifukwa cha zinthu zozizwitsa zimene anachita pa tsikulo. Nafenso tikamapemphera tiyenera kusonyeza kuti timadera nkhawa anthu ena ndiponso timayamikira mochokera pansi pa mtima zinthu zabwino zimene Mulungu amachita.—Werengani 2 Akorinto 1:11; Afilipi 4:6.

9. Kodi Eliya anauza mtumiki wake kuti achite chiyani, ndipo tikambirana makhalidwe awiri ati?

⁹ Ngakhale kuti Eliya sankadziwa nthawi imene Yehova athetse chilala, iye ankakhulupirira kuti Yehova athetsadi chilalacho. Koma kodi mneneriyu ankachita chiyani podikira nthawi imeneyi? Nkhaniyi imati: “Anauza mtumiki wake kuti: ‘Pita ukayang’ane mbali ya kunyanja.’ Mtumikiyo anapita n’kukayang’anadi, ndiyeno anati: ‘Kulibe kalikonse.’ Koma Eliya anamubweza n’kumuuza kuti, ‘Pita ukayang’anenso.’ Anachita zimenezi mpaka maulendo 7.” (1 Maf. 18:43) Zimene anachitazi, zikutiphunzitsa zinthu ziwiri. Choyamba, mneneriyu ankakhulupirira kwambiri Mulungu ndipo chachiwiri, anali watcheru.

10, 11. (a) Kodi Eliya anasonyeza bwanji kuti ankakhulupirira zimene Yehova analonjeza? (b) N’chifukwa chiyani tiyenera kukhala ndi chikhulupiriro ngati cha Eliya?

¹⁰ Popeza Eliya ankakhulupirira zimene Yehova analonjeza, nthawi zonse ankakhala tcheru kuti aone ngati Yehova watsala pang’ono kuthetsa chilalacho. Motero anatuma mnyamata wake kuti akwere pamwamba penipeni pa phirilo n’cholinga choti aone kutali ngati kunali zizindikiro zoti mvula ingagwe. Mnyamatayo atabwerako, anauza Eliya mawu osalimbikitsa akuti: “Kulibe kalikonse.” Kunja kunalibe mtambo ngakhale umodzi. Koma kodi mukukumbukira zimene Eliya anali atauza Ahabu? Eliya anali atangouza kumene Mfumu Ahabu kuti: “Kukumveka mkokomo wa chimvula.” Kodi n’chiyani chinachititsa mneneriyu kunena zimenezi pomwe kunja kunali kopanda mitambo?

¹¹ Eliya ankadziwa bwino zimene Yehova anali atalonjeza. Popeza iye anali mneneri ndiponso woimira Mulungu, ankakhulupirira kuti Mulungu akwaniritsa zimene analonjeza. Eliya anali ndi chikhulupiriro cholimba kwambiri moti zinali ngati wamva kale mkokomo wamvula. Zimenezi zikutikumbutsa nkhani ya m’Baibulo yokhudza Mose. Nkhaniyo imati: “Anapitiriza kupirira moleza mtima ngati kuti akuona Wosaonekayo.” Kodi inuyo mumakhulupirira Mulungu chonchi? Iye watipatsa zifukwa zomveka bwino zoti tim’khulupirire ndiponso tikhulupirire malonjezo ake.—Aheb. 11:1, 27.

12. Kodi Eliya anasonyeza bwanji kuti anali tcheru, nanga anatani atamva kuti kunyanja kukuoneka kamtambo kakang’ono?

¹² Komanso, taonani mmene Eliya analili watcheru. Iye anatuma mnyamata wake, osati kamodzi kokha kapena kawiri, koma ka 7. Mnyamatayo ayenera kuti anatopa kwambiri chifukwa choyenda mobwerezabwereza, koma Eliya sanafooke chifukwa ankafunitsitsa kuona chizindikiro choti kugwadi mvula. Kenako, mnyamatayo atabwerako ulendo wa 7, anati: “Taonani! Kuli kamtambo kakang’ono ngati chikhatho cha dzanja la munthu, ndipo kakukwera m’mwamba kuchokera m’nyanja.” Yerekezerani kuti mukuona mnyamatayo atakweza dzanja lake m’mwamba n’kumayerekeza pa chikhatho chake kukula kwa kamtambo kamene kankaoneka kufupi ndi Nyanja Yaikulu. N’kutheka kuti mnyamatayu anaderera kamtambo kameneka. Koma kwa Eliya kamtamboka kanali chizindikiro champhamvu moti nthawi yomweyo anauza mtumiki wakeyo kuti: “Pita ukauze Ahabu kuti, ‘Mangirirani mahatchi kugaleta, ndipo tsetserekani kuti chimvula chisakutsekerezeni.’”—1 Maf. 18:44.

13, 14. (a) Kodi tingatsanzire bwanji Eliya pa nkhani ya kukhala tcheru? (b) N’chifukwa chiyani sitiyenera kuchita zinthu mozengereza?

¹³ Pamenepanso Eliya ndi chitsanzo chabwino kwambiri kwa ife. Nafenso tikukhala m’nthawi imene Mulungu watsala pang’ono kuti akwaniritse zofuna zake. Mofanana ndi Eliya yemwe ankadikira kutha kwa chilala, masiku anonso atumiki a Mulungu akudikira kutha kwa dziko loipali. (1 Yoh. 2:17) Tiyenera kukhala atcheru ngati Eliya mpaka pamene Yehova Mulungu adzawononge dziko loipali. Mwana wa Mulungu, Yesu, analangiza otsatira ake kuti: “Chotero khalanibe maso chifukwa simukudziwa tsiku limene Ambuye wanu adzabwere.” (Mat. 24:42) Kodi pamenepa Yesu ankatanthauza kuti otsatira ake sadzadziwa chilichonse ponena za nthawi imene mapeto adzafike? Ayi. Chifukwa iye anafokoza kwa nthawi yaitali zizindikiro zomwe zidzasonyeze kuti mapeto ali pafupi. Tonsefe tingathe kuona kuti zizindikiro zosonyeza “mapeto a nthawi ino” zikukwaniritsidwa.—Werengani Mateyu 24:3-7.

¹⁴ Chizindikiro chilichonse chikupereka umboni womveka bwino ndiponso wamphamvu. Kodi umboni umenewu si wokwanira kutilimbikitsa kutumikira Yehova mwakhama? Kamtambo kamene kanaonekera kaja kanali kokwanira kuthandiza Eliya kukhulupirira kuti Yehova watsala pang’ono kuthetsa chilala. Kodi zimene mneneri wokhulupirikayu ankayembekezera zinachitikadi?

15, 16. Kodi zinthu zinasintha bwanji mwadzidzidzi, nanga Eliya ankayembekezera kuti Ahabu achita chiyani?

¹⁵ Nkhaniyi imatiuza kuti: “Pa nthawiyo kumwamba kunachita mdima wa mitambo ndipo kunja kunawomba mphepo. Kenako kunayamba kugwa chimvula chambiri. Ahabu anali akuyenda pagaleta mpaka anakafika ku Yezereeli.” (1 Maf. 18:45) Mwadzidzidzi, kunja kunasintha moti pamene mnyamata wa Eliya ankakauza Ahabu uthenga uja, kamtambo kaja kanakula, n’kudzaza kumwamba konse ndipo kunachita mdima wamvula. Kenako kunayamba kuwomba chimphepo. Pomalizira pake, m’dziko lonselo munagwa chimvula champhamvu. Uku kunali kutha kwa chilala chomwe chinatenga zaka zitatu ndi hafu. Nthaka yomwe inali youma ija inakhathamira ndi madzi. Chifukwa choti mvulayo inali yochuluka, mtsinje wa Kisoni unasefukira, ndipo madziwo ayenera kuti anatsuka magazi a aneneri a Baala omwe anaphedwa. Aisiraeli ena omwe anali atasiya kulambira koona, anapatsidwa mwayi woti awononge chilichonse chokhudzana ndi kulambira Baala n’kubwerera kwa Yehova.

¹⁶ Eliya ankakhulupirira kuti Aisiraeliwo abwereradi kwa Mulungu. Mwinanso ankaganiza kuti Ahabu asiya kulambira Baala poona zimene zinachitika pa tsikuli. Koma kodi Ahabu analapa n’kusiya kulambira Baala? Ahabu anali ndi zifukwa zomveka zoti asinthire. N’zoona kuti sitingadziwe zomwe Ahabu ankaganiza pa nthawiyo chifukwa nkhaniyi imangotiuza kuti “Ahabu anali akuyenda pagaleta mpaka anakafika ku Yezereeli.” Kodi iye anaphunzira pa zimene zinachitikazi n’kusintha? Zimene zinachitika pambuyo pake zimasonyeza kuti sanasinthe. Komabe panali padakali zinthu zina zoti zichitike.

17, 18. (a) Kodi n’chiyani chinachitikira Eliya ali m’njira yopita ku Yezereeli? (b) Kodi chochititsa chidwi n’chiyani ndi ulendo wa Eliya wochokera ku Karimeli kupita ku Yezereeli? (Onaninso mawu a m’munsi.)

¹⁷ Mneneri wa Yehovayu anayamba ulendo wobwerera kwawo ndipo anadutsa njira imene Ahabu anadutsa. Ulendowu unali wautali, kunja kunali mdima wa mvula komanso mumsewu monse munali madzi okhaokha. Koma panachitika chinthu china chodabwitsa.

¹⁸ Nkhaniyo imapitiriza kuti: “Dzanja la Yehova linali ndi Eliya, moti iye anakokera chovala chake m’chiuno n’kuchimanga, ndipo anayamba kuthamanga n’kupitirira Ahabu mpaka kukafika ku Yezereeli.” (1 Maf. 18:46) Izi zikusonyeza kuti Yehova anathandiza Eliya modabwitsa chifukwatu Eliya anali wachikulire ndipo ulendo wokafika ku Yezereeli unali wa makilomita 30. * Yerekezerani kuti mukuona mneneriyo akukwinya chovala chake kuti azithamanga bwino. Ndiyeno akuthamanga m’njira yomwe inali madzi okhaokha mpaka kupeza galeta limene Ahabu anakwera n’kulipitirira.

19. (a) Kodi mphamvu zimene Eliya anapatsidwa zikutikumbutsa maulosi ati? (b) Pamene Eliya ankathamanga pa ulendo wake wopita ku Yezereeli, kodi ankadziwa chiyani zokhudza Atate wake?

¹⁹ Pamenepatu Eliya anadalitsidwa kwambiri. Zinali zinthu zolimbikitsa kwambiri kwa Eliya chifukwa anapatsidwa mphamvu zapadera zomwe mwina zinaposa zimene anali nazo ali wachinyamata. Zimenezi zikutikumbutsa maulosi amene amatitsimikizira kuti anthu okhulupirika adzakhala ndi thanzi labwino m’Paradaiso padziko lapansi. (Werengani Yesaya 35:6; Luka 23:43) Pamene Eliya ankathamanga pa ulendowu ankadziwa kuti Atate wake, yemwe ndi Mulungu woona, akusangalala naye.

20. Kodi tingatani kuti tilandire madalitso a Yehova?

²⁰ Yehova ndi wokonzeka kutidalitsa. Choncho tiyenera kuyesetsa kuti tilandire madalitsowa. Mofanana ndi Eliya, tiyenera kukhala tcheru n’kumaonetsetsa umboni uliwonse wosonyeza kuti Yehova watsala pang’ono kuwononga dongosolo la zinthu loipali. Ndiponso tili ndi zifukwa zonse zokhulupirira malonjezo a Yehova, yemwe ndi “Mulungu wachoonadi.”—Sal. 31:5.