ABANTU abaninzi namhlanje baziva bengamalolo; bavakalelwa kukuba akukho mntu ubakhathaleleyo. Nabantu abakhulileyo badla ngokuvakalelwa ngale ndlela. Kodwa abantwana abaninzi namhlanje, kwanabo bakhonza uThixo nabo baziva bengamalolo kwaye bayoyika. Ngaba uyasazi isizathu?— *

Oku kunokubangelwa zizinto ezininzi. Makhe sithethe ngendoda eyayiphila kudala—phantse kwiminyaka eliwaka ngaphambi kokuba azalwe uYesu. Igama layo yayinguEliya. Wayephila xa abantu abaninzi kwaSirayeli babephambukile ekukhonzeni uThixo oyinyaniso uYehova. Inkoliso yaqalisa ukunqula uthixo wobuxoki uBhahali. UEliya wathi: “Ndim kuphela oseleyo.” Ucinga ukuba nyhani yayinguEliya kuphela owayekhonza uYehova?—

Nangona uEliya wayengazi, abantu abaninzi kwaSirayeli babesamnqula uThixo wenyaniso. Kodwa babezifihlile. Babesoyika. Ngaba uyazi ukuba kwakutheni?—

UAhabhi ukumkani wakwaSirayeli, wayengamkhonzi uYehova; wayenqula uBhahali uthixo wobuxoki womfazi wakhe ongendawo, uIzebhele. Yena noAhabhi bebefuna abo babekhonza uYehova baze bababulale, ngokukodwa uEliya. Yiloo nto eyabangela ukuba uEliya asabe. Wabaleka umgama ongangeekhilomitha eziphantse zibe ngama-483, ukuya kwintlango yaseHorebhe, ekwabizwa ngokuba yintaba yeSinayi eBhayibhileni. Kuloo ntaba kumakhulu eminyaka ngaphambi kwexesha likaEliya uYehova wanika abantu bakhe iMithetho  Elishumi neminye iMithetho yakhe. UEliya wazifihla emqolombeni eHorebhe. Ngaba ucinga ukuba uEliya wayefanele oyike?—

IBhayibhile ibonisa ukuba ngaphambilana uYehova wayesebenzise uEliya ukuze enze imimangaliso. UYehova wakha waphendula umthandazo kaEliya wokuba athobe umlilo ezulwini ukuze utye umbingelelo. Ngaloo ndlela uYehova wabonisa ukuba wayenguThixo wenyaniso kungekhona uBhahali. Ngoxa wayesekulo mqolomba uEliya, uYehova wathetha naye.

Wabuza uYehova: “Uyintoni na apha?” UEliya wamphendula wathi: ‘Ndim kuphela oseleyo kubanquli bakho.’ UYehova wamluleka ngobubele uEliya esithi: ‘kusekho abantu abangamawaka asixhenxe andikhonzayo.’ UYehova wayalela uEliya ukuba abuyele, kuba unomsebenzi omninzi afuna awenze.

Ucinga ukuba yintoni esinokuyifunda kumzekelo kaEliya?— Sifunda ukuba nabo bakhonza uYehova bakhe boyike ngamaxesha athile. Sonke abaselula nabakhulileyo kufuneka sicele uncedo kuYehova. IBhayibhile ithembisa ukuba: “Usondele uYehova kubo bonke abo bambizayo.”

Kukho esinye isifundo: Sokuba kuyo yonke indawo sinabazalwana noodade abamthandayo uYehova nabasithandayo. IBhayibhile ithi: “Behlelwa kwaziimbandezelo ezifanayo nabazalwana [bethu] bonke ehlabathini.” Akukuvuyisi na ukwazi ukuba asisedwanga?—