Uvivinyo ENtabeni IKarmeli

Umbuso wezizwe eziyishumi zakwa-Israyeli waba namakhosi amaningi amabi, kodwa eyayiyimbi kakhulu kwakungu-Ahabi. Washada nowesifazane okhohlakele owayekhonza uBhali. Igama lakhe kwakunguJezebeli. U-Ahabi noJezebeli bagcwalisa izwe ngezikhonzi zikaBhali futhi babulala abaprofethi bakaJehova. Wenzani uJehova ngalokhu? Wathumela umprofethi u-Eliya ukuba anikeze u-Ahabi umyalezo.

U-Eliya watshela inkosi u-Ahabi ukuthi ngenxa yobubi bakhe, ngeke ibekhona imvula kwa-Israyeli. Kwaphela iminyaka emithathu kungamili lutho futhi abantu balamba. UJehova waphinde wathumela u-Eliya ku-Ahabi. Inkosi yathi: ‘Wena uyinkinga! Konke lokhu kubangelwe nguwe.’ U-Eliya waphendula wathi: ‘Akumina obangele lesi somiso. Nguwe osibangele ngokukhonza uBhali. Ukuze sibone ukuthi yimuphi uNkulunkulu weqiniso, qoqela isizwe nabaprofethi bakaBhali phezulu eNtabeni iKarmeli.’

Abantu bahlangana entabeni. U-Eliya wathi: ‘Khethani oyedwa. Uma uJehova enguNkulunkulu weqiniso, khonzani yena. Uma kunguBhali, khonzani yena. Abaprofethi bakaBhali abangu-450 mabalungise umhlatshelo bese bebiza unkulunkulu wabo, nami ngizolungisa umhlatshelo ngibize uJehova. UNkulunkulu ozowushisa umhlatshelo nguye onguNkulunkulu weqiniso.’ Abantu bavuma.

Abaprofethi bakaBhali balungiselela umhlatshelo. Babiza unkulunkulu wabo usuku lonke bethi: ‘O Bhali, siphendule!’ Lapho uBhali engaphenduli, u-Eliya wahlekisa ngaye. Wathi: ‘Memezani kakhulu. Mhlawumbe ulele, kudingeka othile amvuse.’ Abaprofethi bakaBhali bambiza kwaze kwahlwa. Kodwa akaphendulanga.

U-Eliya wabeka umhlatshelo wakhe phezu kwe-altare futhi wawuthela ngamanzi. Wabe esethandaza wathi: ‘O Jehova, ngicela wenze laba bantu bazi ukuthi wena unguNkulunkulu weqiniso.’ Ngokushesha nje uJehova wathumela umlilo uvela ezulwini ukuze ushise umhlatshelo. Abantu bamemeza: ‘UJehova unguNkulunkulu weqiniso!’ U-Eliya wathi: ‘Vimbani abaprofethi bakaBhali, ningabavumeli babaleke!’ Ngalolo suku, abaprofethi abangu-450 bakaBhali babulawa.

Lapho kuvela ifu elincane, u-Eliya wathi ku-Ahabi: ‘Imvula iyeza. Gibela inqola yakho uhambe.’ Isibhakabhaka saba namafu amnyama, kwaba nomoya, kwabe sekuna imvula enkulu. Ekugcineni saphela isomiso. U-Ahabi washaya amahhashi akhe ukuze agijime kakhulu. UJehova wasiza u-Eliya wagijima wayidlula inqola ka-Ahabi! Ingabe zonke izinkinga zika-Eliya zase ziphelile? Ake sibone.