1, 2. Ziziphi izinto ezimangalisayo awazibonayo uEliya ebomini bakhe, kodwa ziziphi iziganeko ezikhwankqisayo awazibonayo kumqolomba weNtaba iHorebhe?

 UELIYA wayebone izinto ezimangalisayo ngaphambili. Wayebone amahlungulu emzisela ukutya kabini ngemini ngoxa wayezimele. Wayebone izikhongozelo ezimbini zomgubo neoli zisetyenziswa ebudeni bethuba elide lendlala kodwa zingapheli. Wayede wabona nomlilo usihla esibhakabhakeni njengempendulo kumthandazo wakhe. (1 Kumkani, isahluko 17, 18) Sekunjalo, uEliya wayengekaze abone nantoni na efana nale.

² Njengoko wayechophile ngasesangweni lomqolomba weNtaba iHorebhe, wabona uthotho lweziganeko ezikhwankqisayo. Kwaqala kwavuthuza umoya. Umele ukuba wawubhudla ngamandla, ngomgqumokazi omkhulu, kuba wawunamandla kangangokuba wada wahlekeza iintaba namawa. Emva koko kwalandela inyikima, eyawudiliza umhlaba ngamandlakazi amakhulu. Kwaza kwafika umlilo. Njengoko wawuqhuqhumba utshisa yonke into kuloo ngingqi, uEliya umele ukuba wayiva ingqatsini yobushushu bawo.—1 Kumkani 19:8-12.

 3. UEliya wabona ubungqina baluphi uphawu lukaThixo, yaye thina sinokububona phi ubungqina bolo phawu?

³ Zonke ezi ziganeko zahlukeneyo zabonwa nguEliya zazinento enye ezazifana ngayo—zazibonakalisa amandla amakhulu kaYehova uThixo. Kambe ke, akukho mfuneko yokuba sibone ummangaliso ukuze sibone olu phawu lukaThixo. Luzicacele nje. IBhayibhile isixelela ukuba indalo inikela ubungqina ‘bamandla angunaphakade nobuThixo’ bukaYehova. (Roma 1:20) Khawucinge nje ngokulenyeza kombane nokugqekreza kweendudumo, ukuqukuqela okuhle kwamanzi eengxangxasi, ubukhulu obumangalisayo besibhakabhaka esineenkwenkwezi! Ngaba oko akukubonisi amandla kaThixo? Ukanti, bambalwa  abantu kwihlabathi lanamhlanje abawaqondayo amandla kaThixo. Bambalwa nangakumbi abakuqondayo ukusebenza kwawo. Noko ke, ukuluqonda olu phawu lukaThixo, kusinika izizathu ezininzi zokusondela kuYehova. Kweli candelo siza kuwahlolisisa ngokweenkcukacha amandla angenakuthelekiswa nanto kaYehova.

4, 5. (a) Luluphi unxibelelwano olukhoyo phakathi kwegama likaYehova kunye nobukhulu, okanye amandla akhe? (b) Kutheni kufanelekile nje ukukhetha kukaYehova inkunzi yenkomo ukufuzisela amandla akhe?

⁴ UYehova unamandla akhethekileyo. UYeremiya 10:6 uthi: “Akukho namnye unjengawe, Yehova. Umkhulu, negama lakho likhulu ngamandla.” Phawula ukuba ubukhulu namandla zinxulunyaniswa negama likaYehova. Khumbula ukuba, ubungqina bubonisa ukuba eli gama lithetha ukuba “Ubangela Kubekho.” Yintoni emenza uYehova akwazi ukuzenza abe kuko nakuphi na akhetha ukuba kuko? Enye yezo zinto, ngamandla akhe. Ewe, amandla kaYehova okwenza izinto, nawokuphumeza ukuthanda kwakhe, akasikelwanga mda. Loo mandla alolunye lweempawu zakhe ezibalaseleyo.

⁵ Ekubeni singenakubuqonda ngokupheleleyo ubukhulu bamandla akhe, uYehova usebenzisa imizekeliso ukusinceda. Njengoko sibonile, usebenzisa inkunzi yenkomo ukufuzisela amandla akhe. (Hezekile 1:4-10) Loo mzekeliso ufanelekile, kuba kwanenkunzi yenkomo efuyiweyo isisidalwa esikhulu nesinamandla. Abantu basePalestina ngamaxesha okubhalwa kweBhayibhile, babengafane badibane nayo nantoni na enamandla njengayo. Kodwa babesazi uhlobo oluthile lwenkunzi yenkomo eyoyikeka ngakumbi—inkunzi yenkomo yasendle, engasekhoyo ngoku. (Yobhi 39:9-12) UMlawuli waseRoma uJulius Caesar wakha wathi ezi nkunzi zeenkomo zazibulingana neendlovu. Wabhala wathi: “Makhulu amandla azo, makhulu namendu azo.” Khawuyithelekelele nje indlela obuya kuziva umncinane yaye ubuthathaka ngayo xa ubunokuba secaleni kweso sidalwa!

 6. Kutheni inguYehova kuphela obizwa ngokuthi “Somandla”?

 ⁶ Ngokufanayo, abantu bancinane kakhulu yaye babuthathaka xa bethelekiswa noThixo onamandla, uYehova. Kuye, kwaneentlanga ezomeleleyo zifana nje nesuntswana lothuli ezikalini. (Isaya 40:15) Ngokungafaniyo naso nasiphi na isidalwa, uYehova unamandla angasikelwanga mda, kuba nguye kuphela obizwa ngokuthi “Somandla.” a (ISityhilelo 15:3) UYehova “womelele ngamandla” yaye ‘unamandla amakhulu.’ (Isaya 40:26) Ungumthombo wamandla angapheliyo. Akaxhomekekanga kuwo nawuphi na umthombo ongaphandle wamandla, kuba “amandla ngakaThixo.” (INdumiso 62:11) Kodwa, uYehova uwasebenzisa njani amandla akhe?

 7. Uyintoni umoya oyingcwele kaYehova, yaye asichazela ntoni ngawo amagama olwimi lwantlandlolo asetyenzisiweyo eBhayibhileni?

⁷ Umoya oyingcwele uhla uvela kuYehova ngokungenasiphelo. Ukukusebenza kwamandla kaThixo. Kangangokuba, kwiGenesis 1:2, iBhayibhile ibhekisela kuwo ‘njengamandla kaThixo asebenzayo.’ Igama lantlandlolo lesiHebhere nelesiGrike eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “umoya,” lisekwanokuguqulelwa nangokuthi “impefumlo,” nangokuthi “ukudubula.” Ngokutsho kwababhali bezichazi-magama, amagama olwimi lwantlandlolo ayebhekisela ekusebenzeni kwamandla angabonakaliyo. Njengomoya ovuthuzayo, umoya kaThixo awubonakali emehlweni ethu, kodwa uyasebenza ngokwenene yaye ngokubonakalayo.

 8. EBhayibhileni, ubizwa njani ngokufuziselayo umoya kaThixo, yaye kutheni kufanelekile nje ukuwufanisa ngaloo ndlela?

⁸ Umoya oyingcwele kaThixo usebenza ngeendlela ezahlukahlukeneyo ezingenasiphelo. UYehova unokuwusebenzisa ukuphumeza nayiphi na injongo anayo engqondweni. Ngoko, ngokufanelekileyo, eBhayibhileni umoya kaThixo ubizwa ngokufuziselayo ngokuba ‘ngumnwe’ wakhe, ‘isandla sakhe esomeleleyo,’  okanye ‘ingalo yakhe eyoluliweyo.’ (Luka 11:20; Duteronomi 5:15; INdumiso 8:3) Kanye njengokuba umntu enokusebenzisa isandla sakhe ekwenzeni imisebenzi emininzi efuna ubuchule namandla ahlukahlukeneyo, ngoko noThixo unokuwusebenzisa umoya wakhe ukuphumeza nayiphi na injongo—njengokudala isuntswana elincinane kakhulu leathom okanye ukwahlukanisa uLwandle Olubomvu okanye ukwenza amaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala athethe ngeelwimi zasemzini.

 9. Makhulu kangakanani amandla kaYehova okulawula?

⁹ Kwakhona uYehova usebenzisa amandla ngokusebenzisa igunya lakhe njengoMongami Wendalo Iphela. Ngaba unokukuthelekelela ukuba nezigidi ngezigidi zezidalwa ezikrelekrele, ezikulangazelelayo ukuthobela umyalelo wakho? Lawo ngamandla okulawula anawo uYehova. Unabakhonzi abangabantu, abadla ngokufaniswa eZibhalweni kunye nomkhosi. (INdumiso 68:11; 110:3) Noko ke, umntu usisidalwa esibuthathaka xa ethelekiswa nengelosi. Kaloku, xa umkhosi wama-Asiriya wahlasela abantu bakaThixo, ingelosi nje enye yabulala abali-185 000 kuloo majoni ngobusuku nje obunye! (2 Kumkani 19:35) Iingelosi zikaThixo ‘zomelele ngamandla.’—INdumiso 103:19, 20.

10. (a) Kutheni uSomandla ebizwa ngokuba nguYehova wemikhosi? (b) Ngubani oyena unamandla kuyo yonke indalo kaYehova?

¹⁰ Zingaphi iingelosi ezikhoyo? Umprofeti uDaniyeli wabona umbono wezulu awathi kuwo wabona ngaphezu kwe-100 lezigidi zezidalwa zomoya zimi phambi kwetrone kaYehova, kodwa akukho nto ibonisa ukuba wazibona zonke iingelosi. (Daniyeli 7:10) Ngoko kusenokuba kukho amakhulu ezigidi zeengelosi. Ngenxa yoko uThixo ubizwa ngokuba nguYehova wemikhosi. Esi sibizo sichaza igunya lakhe njengoMyaleli wenkitha yeengelosi ezinamandla nezilungeleleneyo. Uye wamisela uNyana wakhe, “izibulo kwindalo yonke,” ukuba aphathe zonke ezi zidalwa zomoya. (Kolose 1:15) Njengengelosi enkulu—umphathi wazo zonke iingelosi, iiserafi neekherubhi—uYesu ungoyena unamandla kuyo yonke indalo kaYehova.

11, 12. (a) Ilizwi likaThixo linamandla ngaziphi iindlela? (b) UYesu wabungqina njani ubukhulu bamandla kaYehova?

 ¹¹ Ikho nenye indlela uYehova awasebenzisa ngayo amandla akhe. AmaHebhere 4:12 athi: “Ilizwi likaThixo liphilile, linamandla.” Ngaba uye wawaphawula amandla amakhulu elinawo ilizwi likaThixo, okanye isigidimi esiphefumlelwe ngomoya, ngoku esilondolozwe eBhayibhileni? Sinokusomeleza, siqinise ukholo lwethu, size sisincede senze utshintsho olukhulu ebomini bethu. Umpostile uPawulos walumkisa abo wayekholwa kunye nabo ukuba babaphephe abantu ababandakanyeke ekuziphatheni okubi. Wandula ke wongezelela wathi: “Kanti abanye kuni babenjalo kanye.” (1 Korinte 6:9-11) Ewe, kuye kwasebenza amandla ‘elizwi likaThixo’ kubo, labanceda ukuba batshintshe.

¹² Amandla kaYehova makhulu kakhulu yaye neendlela zokuwasebenzisa zininzi kangangokuba akukho nto inokuwathintela. UYesu wathi: “KuThixo izinto zonke zinako ukwenzeka.” (Mateyu 19:26) UYehova uwasebenzisela ukuphumeza yiphi injongo amandla akhe?

13, 14. (a) Kutheni sinokuthi uYehova akangomthombo nje ongaphiliyo wamandla? (b) UYehova uwasebenzisa ngaziphi iindlela amandla akhe?

¹³ Umoya kaYehova ungaphezu kwawo nawaphi na amandla okwenyama; yaye uYehova akanguwo nje umthombo ongaphiliyo wamandla. UnguThixo ongumntu owalawula ngokupheleleyo amandla akhe. Noko ke, yintoni emshukumisela ekuthini awasebenzise?

¹⁴ Njengoko siza kubona, uThixo usebenzisa amandla ukudala, ukutshabalalisa, ukukhusela, ukuhlaziya—ngamafuphi singathi, ukwenza nantoni na ukuze aphumeze iinjongo zakhe ezigqibeleleyo. (Isaya 46:10) Maxa wambi, uYehova uwasebenzisa amandla akhe ukutyhila iinkalo ezibalulekileyo zobuntu nemigaqo yakhe. Ngaphezu kwako konke, uwasebenzisa amandla akhe ukuze aphumeze ukuthanda kwakhe—ukuthethelela ulongamo lwakhe nokungcwalisa igama lakhe elingcwele  ngoBukumkani bukaMesiya. Akukho nto inokuze iyiphuthise loo njongo.

15. UYehova uwasebenzisela yiphi injongo amandla akhe ngokuphathelele abakhonzi bakhe, yaye kwaboniswa njani oku kwimeko kaEliya?

¹⁵ Kwakhona uYehova usebenzisa amandla akhe ukuze kungenelwe thina. Phawula oko kuthethwa yeyesi-2 yeziKronike 16:9, ethi: “Ngokubhekisele kuYehova, amehlo akhe asingasinga emhlabeni wonke ukuba ababonise amandla abo bantliziyo ziphelele kuye.” Umzekelo woku, ngamava kaEliya akhankanywe ekuqaleni. Kwakutheni ukuze uYehova awabonakalise ngendlela eyoyikeka ngolo hlobo amandla akhe kuye? Kaloku, uKumkanikazi ongendawo uIzebhele wayefunge ukumbulala uEliya. Lo mprofeti wabaleka, esindisa ubomi bakhe. Wayelilolo, esoyika, yaye edimazekile—ngokungathi konke ukusebenza kwakhe nzima kwakulilize. Ukuze akhuthaze le ndoda idandathekileyo, uYehova wamkhumbuza ngokucacileyo uEliya ngamandla akhe obuthixo. Loo moya, inyikima, nomlilo, zazibonisa ukuba uEliya wayekunye noyena Mntu unamandla kwindalo iphela. Wayenokumoyikela ntoni uIzebhele, xa exhaswa nguThixo usomandla?—1 Kumkani 19:1-12. b

16. Kutheni kufanele kusikhuthaze ukucingisisa ngamandla amakhulu kaYehova?

¹⁶ Nangona ngoku ingeloxesha lakhe lokwenza imimangaliso, uYehova akaguqukanga kwinto abeyiyo ngexesha likaEliya. (1 Korinte 13:8) Usenolangazelelo olufanayo namhlanje lokusebenzisa amandla akhe ngenxa yabo bamthandayo. Liyinyaniso elokuba, uhlala kummandla ophakamileyo womoya, kodwa akakude kuthi. Amandla akhe akamiselwanga mda, ngoko umgama awungomqobo kuye. Kunoko, “usondele uYehova kubo bonke abo bambizayo.” (INdumiso 145:18) Ngesinye isihlandlo xa umprofeti uDaniyeli wabiza uYehova ecela uncedo, kwafika ingelosi engekagqibi nokuthandaza! (Daniyeli 9:20-23)  Ayikho into enokuthintela uYehova ukuba angabancedi aze abomeleze abo bamthandayo.—INdumiso 118:6.

17. Amandla kaYehova asenza soyike ngayiphi ingqiqo, kodwa luhlobo olunjani loloyiko angasenzi sibe nalo?

¹⁷ Ngaba amandla kaThixo afanele asenze simoyike? Simele siphendule ngokuthi ewe nangokuthi hayi. Sithi ewe kuba olu phawu lusinika isizathu esihle sokuba noloyiko lobuthixo, uloyiko nentlonelo enkulu esixubushe ngokufutshane ngayo kwisahluko esingaphambili. IBhayibhile isixelela ukuba, olo loyiko ‘lukukuqala kobulumko.’ (INdumiso 111:10) Noko ke, sikwaphendula nangokuthi hayi kuba amandla kaThixo akasiniki sizathu sakuba nedyudyu ngaye okanye soyike ukusondela kuye.

18. (a) Kutheni abantu abaninzi bengabathembi nje abo banegunya? (b) Sazi njani ukuba uYehova akanakonakaliswa ligunya analo?

¹⁸ “Igunya liyonakalisa, igunya elipheleleyo lonakalisa ngokupheleleyo.” Wabhala watsho omnye umbhali-mbali oliNgesi uLord Acton ngowe-1887. La mazwi akhe aye aphindaphindwa kaninzi, mhlawumbi ngenxa yesizathu sokuba abantu abaninzi bawabona eyinyaniso engenakuphikiswa. Abantu abangafezekanga badla ngokulisebenzisa kakubi igunya, njengoko nembali ingqina. (INtshumayeli 4:1; 8:9) Ngenxa yeso sizathu, abantu abaninzi ababathembi abo banegunya baze badedele kude kubo. UYehova yena unegunya elipheleleyo. Ngaba liye lamonakalisa ngandlel’ ithile? Ngokuqinisekileyo akunjalo! Njengoko sibonile, ungcwele, akanako nakancinane ukonakala. UYehova akafani namadoda namabhinqa angafezekanga anegunya kweli hlabathi lonakeleyo. Akazange alisebenzise kakubi igunya lakhe, yaye akasayi kuze enjenjalo.

19, 20. (a) UYehova usoloko ewabonakalisa amandla akhe ngokuvisisana naziphi ezinye iimpawu, yaye kutheni kukhuthaza nje oku? (b) Ungakuzekelisa njani ukuzeyisa kukaYehova, yaye kutheni oko kunomtsalane nje kuwe?

¹⁹ Khumbula ukuba, amandla asikuphela kophawu uYehova analo. Siseza kufunda nangokuba sesikweni kwakhe, ubulumko bakhe, nothando lwakhe. Kodwa asifanele sicinge ukuba iimpawu zikaYehova zibonakala ngokukhethekileyo, ngokungathi  wayebonakalisa uphawu olunye ngexesha. Kunoko, siza kubona kwizahluko ezilandelayo ukuba uYehova usoloko ewabonakalisa amandla akhe ngokuvisisana nokuba sesikweni kwakhe, ubulumko bakhe, nothando lwakhe. Khawucinge nje ngolunye uphawu lukaThixo, olunqabileyo kubalawuli behlabathi—ukuzeyisa.

²⁰ Khawuzithelekelele udibana nomntu omkhulu nonamandla kangangokuba ude umoyike. Kodwa, ekuhambeni kwexesha uphawula ukuba unobubele. Usoloko ekulungele yaye ekulangazelela ukuwasebenzisa amandla akhe ekuncedeni nasekukhuseleni abantu, ingakumbi abo bangenakuzinceda nabazizisulu. Akaze awasebenzise kakubi amandla akhe. Umbona egculelwa ngaphandle kwesizathu, kodwa uhlala elondoloze isidima sakhe, ade abonise nobubele. Uyazibuza ukuba kazi wena ubuya kukwazi na ukubonisa ububele nokuzeyisa ngaloo ndlela, ingakumbi ukuba ubunamandla njengaye! Njengoko uya umazi ngakumbi loo mntu, ngaba ubungayi kuqalisa ukuziva utsaleleke kuye? Sinesizathu esikhulu ngakumbi sokusondela kuYehova usomandla. Phawula isivakalisi esipheleleyo ekusekelwe kuso esi sahluko: “UYehova uzeka kade umsindo yaye unamandla kakhulu.” (Nahum 1:3) UYehova akakhawulezi ukusebenzisa amandla akhe nxamnye nabantu, kwanakwabo bangendawo. Unobulali nobubele. Ungqineke ‘ezeka kade umsindo’  phezu kwako nje ukucatshukiswa kaninzi.—INdumiso 78:37-41.

21. Kutheni uYehova engabanyanzeli abantu ukuba benze ukuthanda kwakhe, yaye oku kusifundisa ntoni ngaye?

²¹ Phawula ukuzeyisa kukaYehova kwinkalo eyahlukileyo. Ukuba ubunamandla angamiselwanga mda, ngaba ucinga ukuba, maxa wambi, ubunokufuna ukwenza abantu benze izinto ngendlela yakho? Phezu kwawo nje onke amandla anawo, uYehova akabanyanzeli abantu ukuba bamkhonze. Nangona ukukhonza uThixo kukukuphela kwendlela yokufumana ubomi obungunaphakade, uYehova akasinyanzeli ukuba simkhonze. Kunoko, unika mntu ngamnye isidima senkululeko yokuzikhethela. Usilumkisa ngemiphumo yokhetho olubi aze asixelele ngemivuzo yokhetho olulungileyo. Kodwa ukhetho, ulushiyela kuthi. (Duteronomi 30:19, 20) UYehova akanamdla kwinkonzo yesinyanzelo neyenziwa ngenxa yokutyhwatyhwa ngenxa yamandla akhe oyikekayo. Ufuna ukuba simkhonze ngokuzithandela, ngokuqhutywa luthando.—2 Korinte 9:7.

22, 23. (a) Yintoni ebonisa ukuba uYehova uyakuvuyela ukunika abanye amandla? (b) Yintoni esiza kuyihlolisisa kwisahluko esilandelayo?

²² Makhe sihlolisise isizathu sokugqibela sokuba singafanele sibe nedyudyu ngoThixo uSomandla. Abantu abanegunya badla ngokoyika ukwabelana ngegunya labo kunye nabanye. Noko ke, yena uYehova uyakuvuyela ukubanika igunya abanquli bakhe abanyanisekileyo. Ubanika igunya elikhulu abanye, njengoNyana wakhe. (Mateyu 28:18) Kwakhona uYehova ubanika amandla abakhonzi bakhe ngenye indlela. IBhayibhile ichaza isithi: “Bobakho, Yehova, ubukhulu namandla nobuhle nokubalasela nesidima; kuba yonk’ into esemazulwini nesemhlabeni yeyakho. . . . Esandleni sakho kukho amandla nokomelela, yaye esandleni sakho kukho amandla okwenza mkhulu nokunika amandla zonke izinto.”—1 Kronike 29:11, 12.

²³ Ewe, uYehova uya kukuvuyela ukukomeleza. Ude abanike “amandla angaphaya koko kuqhelekileyo” abo bafuna ukumkhonza. (2 Korinte 4:7) Ngaba akuziva utsalelekile kulo Thixo unamandla, osebenzisa amandla akhe ngobubele nangokusesikweni ngaloo ndlela? Kwisahluko esilandelayo, siza kuhlolisisa indlela uYehova awasebenzisa ngayo amandla akhe ekudaleni.