ʻOKU fāʻofua ha uitou masiva ʻi heʻene tamasiʻí, ʻa ʻene kiʻi tama pē tahá. ʻOku ʻikai malava ke ne tui ki he meʻa ʻokú ne sio ki aí. ʻI ha taimi nounou pē ki muʻa ai, naʻá ne fua fakaalaala ʻene tama kuo maté ʻi hono umá. ʻI he taimi ko ení ʻoku sio atu ʻa e fefiné ki heʻene tamasiʻi kuo toetuʻú pea ʻokú ne fiefia ʻi he sio ki heʻene malimalí. ʻOku pehē ʻe heʻene tokotaha ʻaʻahí: “Vakai ʻoku moʻui hoʻo tama.”

Ko e toetuʻu fakaueʻiloto ko iá naʻe hoko ia ʻi he meimei taʻu ʻe 3,000 kuo maliu atú. ʻE lava ke ke lau ia ʻi he 1 Tuʻi vahe 17. Ko e tokotaha ʻaʻahí ko e palōfita ʻa e ʻOtuá ko ʻIlaisiā. Pea ko hai ʻa e faʻeé? ʻOku ʻikai ke tau ʻilo hono hingoá, ka ko ha uitou ia naʻe nofo ʻi he kolo ko Salepitá. Ko e toetuʻu hono fohá ko ha meʻa ia ʻi heʻene moʻuí ʻa ia naʻá ne fakaivimālohiʻi ʻene tuí. ʻI heʻetau ako lahi ange fekauʻaki mo iá, te tau ako ai ha ngaahi lēsoni mātuʻaki mahuʻinga ʻe niʻihi.

Naʻe pehē ʻe Sihova ʻe ʻi ai ha laʻalaʻā fuoloa ʻi ʻIsileli ʻi he ngaahi ʻaho ʻo e tuʻi fulikivanu ko ʻĒhapi. ʻI he taimi naʻe kamata ai ʻa e laʻalaʻaá, naʻe fūfuuʻi ʻe he ʻOtuá ʻa ʻIlaisiā meia ʻĒhapi pea fafanga fakaemana ʻa e palōfitá ʻaki hono ngāueʻaki ʻa e fanga lēveni ke nau ʻomi ʻa e kanomate mo e mā kiate ia ke ne kai. Naʻe tala ange leva ʻe Sihova kia ʻIlaisiā: “Tuʻu, ʻo ʻalu ki Salepita, ʻa ia ʻoku kau ki Saitoni, pea ke nofo ai: vakai, kuo u tuʻutuʻuni ai ha fefine uitou ke tauhi koe.”—1 Tuʻi 17:1-9.

ʻI he taimi naʻe aʻu ai ʻa ʻIlaisiā ki Salepitá, naʻá ne sio ki ha uitou masiva ʻoku fai ʻene okooko fefie. Ko e fefine ia te ne ʻoange ha meʻakai ki he palōfitá? ʻE lava fēfē ke ne fai ia, koeʻuhí he naʻá ne fuʻu masiva? Neongo kapau naʻe ʻi ai haʻane veiveiua, naʻe kamata fakatalanoa ʻa ʻIlaisiā ki he fefiné. Naʻá ne pehē: “Fakamolemole muʻa, ka ke ʻomi ha meʻi vai ʻi ha ipu ke u inu.” ʻI heʻene ʻalu ke ʻomai hano inú, naʻe tānaki atu ʻe ʻIlaisiā: “ʻOmaiā foki siʻaku konga ma, ʻine?” (1 Tuʻi 17:10, 11) Naʻe ʻikai hohaʻa ʻa e uitoú ia fekauʻaki mo hono ʻoange ki he sola ko ení ha inu, ka ke ʻoange ha mā kiate iá ko ha palopalema.

 Naʻá ne pehē: “Tangi ʻa e moʻui ʻa Sihova ko ho ʻOtua haʻane ʻiate au ha momoʻi keke, ngata pe ʻi ha falukunga mahoaʻa ʻi he puha, mo e meʻi lolo ʻi he hina: pea ko ʻeku okooko e ha ongo vaʻa fefie ke u ʻalu ki ʻapi, ʻo ngaohi maʻaku mo ʻeku tama, ko ʻema kai fakaʻosi ia pea ma mate.” (1 Tuʻi 17:12) Ko e hā ʻe lava ke tau ako mei he fetalanoaʻaki ko ení?

Naʻe lava ke sio ʻa e uitoú ko ʻIlaisiaá ko ha ʻIsileli naʻe tauhi ki he ʻOtuá. ʻOku tau ʻilo eni koeʻuhí he naʻá ne pehē: “Tangi ʻa e moʻui ʻa Sihova ko ho ʻOtua.” ʻOku hā ngali neongo naʻá ne ʻilo ki he ngaahi meʻa ʻe niʻihi fekauʻaki mo e ʻOtua ʻo ʻIsilelí, naʻe ʻikai te ne tauhi kiate ia. Naʻe ʻikai te ne lave kia Sihova ko “hoku ʻOtua.” Naʻá ne nofo ʻi Salepita, ko ha kolo naʻe kau ʻi he kolo Finisia ko Saitoní. ʻOku hangehangē naʻe nofo ʻa e kau lotu Pēali tokolahi ʻi Salepita. Kae kehe, naʻe fakatokangaʻi ʻe Sihova ha meʻa makehe ʻi he loto ʻo e uitou ko ení.

Neongo ko e uitou masiva ʻo Salepitá naʻe nofo ʻi ha feituʻu naʻe tokolahi ai ʻa e kakai lotu ʻaitolí, naʻá ne fakahāhā ʻa e tui kia Sihova. Naʻá ne fekau atu ʻa ʻIlaisiā ki he uitoú ke tokoniʻi ai ʻa e uitoú pea mo ia tonu. ʻE lava ke tau ako ha lēsoni mātuʻaki mahuʻinga mei heni.

Naʻe ʻikai uesia fakaʻaufuli ʻa e faʻahinga kotoa naʻe nofo ʻi Salepitá. ʻI hono fekau atu ʻa ʻIlaisiā ki he uitou ko ení, naʻe fakahaaʻi ai ʻe Sihova ʻokú Ne fakatokangaʻi ʻa e kakai loto-totonu ʻoku teʻeki ai ke nau tauhi kiate Ia. ʻIo, “ʻi he puleʻanga kotoa pē, ko e tangata ko ia ʻoku manavahē kiate ia mo fai ʻa e meʻa ʻoku totonú, ʻokú ne tali ia.”—Ngā. 10:35.

Ko e kakai ʻe toko fiha ʻoku nofo ʻi ho feituʻu ngāué ʻoku nau hangē ko e uitou ʻo Salepitá? Neongo ʻoku ʻātakaiʻi nai kinautolu ʻe he kau mēmipa ʻo e lotu loí, ʻoku nau fiemaʻu nai ʻa e meʻa lelei ange. ʻOku siʻi pe ʻikai nai haʻanau ʻilo ʻo kau kia Sihova pea fiemaʻu ʻa e tokoni ke tali ʻa e lotu moʻoní. ʻOkú ke kumi ki he kakai peheé pea tokoniʻi kinautolu?

Fakakaukau fekauʻaki mo e meʻa naʻe kole ʻe ʻIlaisiā ki he uitoú ke ne faí. Naʻá ne toki tala ange pē kiate ia ko e hili ʻene ngaohi ha meʻakai fakaʻosi maʻana mo hono fohá, te na kai ia peá na mate. Ka, ko e hā naʻe leaʻaki ʻe ʻIlaisiaá? “ʻOua te ke lotosiʻi: ʻalu ki ʻapi, ʻo fai hange ko hoʻo lau, ka ke ngaohi mei ai muʻa maʻaku ha kiʻi keke, ʻo ʻomi ki tuʻa kiate au, pea ke toki ngaohi ha meʻa maʻau mo hoʻo tama. He ko eni ʻa e folofola ʻa Sihova ko e ʻOtua ʻo Isileli, Ko e puha mahoaʻa ʻe ʻikai mamoli, pea ko e hina lolo ʻe ʻikai matuku, kaeʻoua ke hoko ʻa e ʻaho ʻe tuku mai ai ʻe Sihova ha ʻuha ki he funga kelekele.”—1 Tuʻi 17:11-14.

ʻE lava ke ke sioloto atu ki he meʻa ʻe leaʻaki nai ʻe ha kakai ʻe niʻihi: ‘Ke ʻave ʻemau meʻakai fakaʻosí? Pau pē ko hoʻo fakakata.’ Ka naʻe ʻikai ko e tali eni ʻa e uitoú. Neongo naʻe ʻikai te ne fuʻu ʻilo fekauʻaki mo Sihova, naʻá ne tui kia ʻIlaisiā pea fai ʻa e meʻa naʻá ne kole ange kiate iá. Ko e kole ko ení ko ha ʻahiʻahiʻi lahi ʻaupito ia ʻo e tuí. Ka he fili fakapotopoto ē naʻá ne faí!

Naʻe ʻikai ke liʻaki ʻe he ʻOtuá ʻa e uitou masiva ko iá. Hangē ko ia naʻe palōmesi ange ʻe ʻIlaisiaá, naʻe tānaki atu ʻe Sihova ʻene tokonaki meʻakaí koeʻuhí ke lava ai ʻo fafanga ia, mo ʻene tamasiʻí pea mo ʻIlaisiā, kae ʻoua ke ʻosi ʻa e laʻalaʻaá. ʻIo, “naʻe ʻikai mamoli ʻa e puha mahoaʻa, pea naʻe ʻikai matuku ʻa e hina lolo, ʻo hange ko e folofola ʻa Sihova naʻa ne fakafai ʻia Ilaisia.” (1 Tuʻi 17:16; 18:1) Kapau naʻe fai ʻe he fefine ko iá ha meʻa kehe, ko e kiʻi keke naʻá ne  ngaohi mei heʻene kiʻi tokonaki mahoaʻá mo e loló ʻe hoko ia ko ʻene meʻakai fakaʻosí. Ka naʻá ne fakahāhā ʻa e tui, falala kia Sihova, pea tomuʻa fafanga ʻa ʻIlaisiā.

Ko ha lēsoni ʻe lava ke tau ako mei he meʻá ni ko hono tāpuakiʻi ʻe he ʻOtuá ʻa e faʻahinga ʻoku nau fakahāhā ʻa e tui kiate iá. ʻE tokoniʻi koe ʻe Sihova kapau te ke falala kiate ia ʻi he taimi ʻoku ʻahiʻahiʻi ai hoʻo anga-tonú. Te ne hoko ko ha Tokotaha-Tokonaki, ko ha Tokotaha-Maluʻi mo ha Kaumeʻa koeʻuhí ke tokoniʻi koe ke kātaki.—ʻEki. 3:13-15.

ʻI he 1898, ko ha kupu ʻi he Zion’s Watch Tower naʻe akoʻi ai ʻa e lēsoni ko ení: Kapau naʻe tui mo talangofua ʻa e uitoú kia ʻIlaisiā, te ne maʻu ʻa e tokoni ʻa Sihová. Kapau naʻe ʻikai te ne fakahāhā ʻa e tui kia Sihová, ʻe fili nai ha uitou ia ʻe taha te ne lavá. Naʻe hoko atu ʻa e kupú ʻo pehē ʻoku tatau pē ia mo kitautolu. ʻOku fakaʻatā ʻe Sihova ʻi he taimi ʻe niʻihi ke ʻahiʻahiʻi ʻetau tui kiate iá. Kapau te tau maʻu ʻa e tuí, naʻe pehē ai, “te tau maʻu ʻa e tāpuaki; kapau heʻikai te tau [maʻu ʻa e tuí], ʻe mole ia meia kitautolu.”

ʻI he taimi ʻoku tau tofanga ai ʻi he ngaahi ʻahiʻahí, ʻoku fiemaʻu ke tau hanga ki he tataki ʻa Sihová ʻi he Folofolá pea ʻi heʻetau ʻū tohí. ʻOku totonu leva ke tau muimui ki he fakahinohino ʻa Sihová, ʻo tatau ai pē pe ʻoku faingataʻa fēfē nai ke tali ia. ʻE tāpuakiʻi lahi kitautolu kapau ʻoku tau fai ʻa e meʻa ʻoku leaʻaki ʻe he palōveepi lelei ko ení: “Falala ki he ʻEiki ʻaki ʻa e kotoa ʻo ho loto, ʻo ʻouae fāki ki ho poto oʻou: Ke ke fakaongo kiate ia ʻi ho hala kotoa pe, pea ʻe fakatonutonu ʻe ia ho ngaahi ʻalunga.”—Pal. 3:5, 6.

Ko ha ʻahiʻahi ʻe taha naʻe teu ke ʻahiʻahiʻi ai ʻa e tui ʻa e uitoú. ʻOku pehē ʻe he fakamatala ʻa e Tohi Tapú: “Pea hili ʻa e ngaahi meʻa ko ia pea puke ʻa e tama ʻa e fefine naʻe oʻona ʻa e fale; pea fakautuutu ʻene mahaki ʻo lahi ʻaupito, pea faifai pea ʻikai te ne kei manava.” ʻI he feinga ke ʻilo ʻa e ʻuhinga ki he hoko ʻa e meʻa fakamamahi ko ení, naʻe pehē ʻe he faʻē loto-mamahí kia ʻIlaisiā: “ʻE tangata ʻo Elohimi, ko ho ha au? ta naʻa ke haʻu ki heni ke fakamanatu mai ʻeku hia, mo tamateʻi ʻeku tama!” (1 Tuʻi 17:17, 18) Ko e hā ʻa e ʻuhinga ʻo e ngaahi lea fakalotomamahi ko iá?

Naʻe manatuʻi ʻe he fefiné ha angahala he kuohilí ʻa ia naʻá ne fakahohaʻasi hono konisēnisí? Naʻá ne fakakaukau ko e mate ʻene tamasiʻí ko e tautea mei he ʻOtuá pea ko ʻIlaisiaá ko e talafekau ʻo e mate ia ʻa e ʻOtuá? ʻOku ʻikai ke tala mai ia kia kitautolu ʻe he Tohi Tapú, ka ʻoku tau ʻiloʻi eni: Naʻe ʻikai ke tukuakiʻi ʻe he uitoú ʻa e ʻOtuá ki hono fai ha meʻa hala.

Kuo pau pē naʻe ʻohovale ʻa ʻIlaisiā ʻi he mate ʻa e tamasiʻi ʻa e uitoú mo e foʻi fakakaukau ko e palōfitá naʻá ne fakatupunga nai iá. Naʻe fua ʻe ʻIlaisiā ʻa e sino ngāvaivai ʻo e tamasiʻí ki he loki ʻi ʻolunga pea kalanga: “ʻE Sihova ko hoku ʻOtua, kuo ke ʻomi foki ha mala ki he fefine ni ʻoku ou ʻaunofo ki ai he tamateʻi ʻene tama?” Naʻe loto-mamahi lahi ʻa ʻIlaisiā ke fakakaukau atu ko e huafa ʻo Sihová ʻe hoko ʻo taʻefakalāngilangiʻi kapau ko e fefine anga-lelei mo anga-talitali kakai ko ení naʻe fakaʻatā ke faingataʻaʻia lahi ange. Ko ia naʻe kōlenga ʻa ʻIlaisiā: “ʻE Sihova ko hoku ʻOtua, tuku muʻa ke foki ʻa e laumalie ʻo e tamasiʻi ni kiate ia.”—1 Tuʻi 17:20, 21.

Naʻe fanongo ʻa Sihova. Naʻe fakahāhā ʻe he uitoú ʻa e tui pea tokangaʻi mo e ngaahi fiemaʻu ʻa ʻIlaisiaá. ʻOku hā ngali naʻe fakaʻatā ʻe he ʻOtuá ke mate ʻa e tamasiʻí koeʻuhí naʻá Ne ʻiloʻi ko e toetuʻu ko ení, ʻa e ʻuluaki toetuʻu ʻoku lēkooti ʻi he Folofolá, ʻe ʻoatu ai ʻa e ʻamanaki ki he laui miliona ʻi he kahaʻú. Naʻe fanongo ʻa Sihova ki he lotu ʻa ʻIlaisiaá pea fakamoʻui ʻa e kiʻi tamá. Sioloto atu ki he fiefia lahi ʻa e uitoú ʻi he pehē ʻe ʻIlaisiā: “Vakai ʻoku moʻui hoʻo tama”! Naʻe tala ange leva ʻe he uitoú kia ʻIlaisiā: “Kuo mahino eni kiate au ko e tangata ʻo e ʻOtua koe, pea ko e folofola ʻa Sihova ʻoku ke aʻau ko e moʻoni ia.”—1 Tuʻi 17:22-24.

ʻOku ʻikai toe lave ʻa e fakamatala ʻi he 1 Tuʻi vahe 17 ki ha meʻa fekauʻaki mo e fefiné ni. Kae kehe, naʻe lea lelei ʻa Sīsū fekauʻaki mo ia, ko ia kuó ne hoko nai ko ha sevāniti faitōnunga ʻa Sihova. (Luke 4:25, 26) Ko e talanoa fekauʻaki mo iá ʻoku akoʻi mai ai kia kitautolu ʻoku tāpuakiʻi ʻe he ʻOtuá ʻa e faʻahinga ʻoku nau fai lelei ki heʻene kau sevānití. (Māt. 25:34-40) ʻOku fakamoʻoniʻi ai ʻoku tokangaʻi ʻe he ʻOtuá ʻa e faʻahinga ʻoku nau faitōnunga kiate iá, neongo ʻoku nau kātekina ha ngaahi ʻahiʻahi faingataʻa ʻaupito. (Māt. 6:25-34) ʻOku toe fakahaaʻi mai kia kitautolu ʻi he fakamatala ko ení ʻoku maʻu ʻe Sihova ʻa e holi mo e malava ke fokotuʻu hake ʻa e kau maté. (Ngā. 24:15) Ko hono moʻoní, ko e ngaahi ʻuhinga lelei ʻaupito eni ki hono manatuʻi ʻa e uitou ʻo Salepitá.