1, 2. Yiziphi izimanga u-Eliya ayezibonile ekuphileni kwakhe, kodwa yiziphi izenzakalo ezikhexisa umlomo azibona esemgedeni eNtabeni YaseHorebe?

 U-ELIYA wayebone izimanga. Wayebone amagwababa emlethela ukudla kabili ngosuku ngesikhathi ecashile. Wayebone izitsha ezimbili zikhiqiza ufulawa namafutha phakathi nendlala eyathatha isikhathi eside futhi zazingapheli lezi zinto. Wayebone ngisho nomlilo wehla esibhakabhakeni uphendula umthandazo wakhe. (1 AmaKhosi, izahluko 17, 18) Noma kunjalo, u-Eliya wayengakaze akubone okunje.

² Ngesikhathi egobe eduze komlomo womgede eNtabeni YaseHorebe, wabona uchungechunge lwezenzakalo ezikhexisa umlomo. Okokuqala kwaba nomoya. Kumele ukuba wawuvunguza uvala izindlebe ngoba wawunamandla kangangokuba waqhekeza izintaba waqhephula namadwala. Kwabe sekuzamazama umhlaba, kwadedeleka amandla amakhulu avaleleke emhlabathini. Kwase kulandela nomlilo. Njengoba wawubhebhetheka kuleyo ndawo, cishe u-Eliya wakuzwa ukushisa kwawo okuhangulayo.​—1 AmaKhosi 19:8-12.

3. U-Eliya wabona ubufakazi bayiphi imfanelo kaNkulunkulu, futhi singabubonaphi ubufakazi bale mfanelo?

³ Zonke lezi zenzakalo ezihlukahlukene ezabonwa u-Eliya zazifana ngento eyodwa​—zazibonisa amandla amakhulu kaJehova uNkulunkulu. Yiqiniso, akudingeki size sibone isimangaliso ukuze siqonde ukuthi uNkulunkulu unayo le mfanelo. Iyazibonakalela. IBhayibheli lisitshela ukuthi indalo inikeza ubufakazi ‘bamandla [kaJehova] aphakade nobuNkulunkulu bakhe.’ (Roma 1:20) Cabanga nje ngemibane exhophayo nokuduma kwezulu okukhulu, ubuhle bempophoma enamandla, ubukhulu obukhexisayo besibhakabhaka esinezinkanyezi! Awuwaboni yini amandla kaNkulunkulu kulezi zinto? Bambalwa nokho abantu abawaqaphelayo amandla kaNkulunkulu ezweni  namuhla. Bambalwa ngisho nakakhulu abanombono ofanele ngawo. Kodwa ukuqonda le mfanelo kaNkulunkulu kusinikeza izizathu eziningi zokusondela kuJehova. Kule ngxenye, sizoqala ukuwatadisha kabanzi amandla kaJehova angenakuqhathaniswa.

4, 5. (a) Igama likaJehova lichazwe kanjani? (b) Kungani kufaneleka ukuthi uJehova wakhetha inkunzi ukuze ifanekisele amandla akhe?

⁴ Amandla kaJehova awanakufaniswa nalutho. UJeremiya 10:6 uthi: “O Jehova akekho onjengawe. Wena umkhulu, igama lakho likhulu linamandla.” Phawula ukuthi igama likaJehova lichazwa njengelikhulu nelinamandla. Khumbula ukuthi leli gama ngokusobala lisho ukuthi “Ubangela Ukuba Kube Khona.” Yini eyenza uJehova akwazi ukudala noma yini ayifunayo futhi abe yinoma yini akhetha ukuba yiyo? Phakathi kokunye, amandla. Yebo, ikhono likaJehova lokwenza izinto nelokufeza intando yakhe alipheli. Lawo mandla angenye yezimfanelo zakhe ezibalulekile.

⁵ Ngenxa yokuthi asisoze sawaqonda ngokugcwele amandla akhe, uJehova usebenzisa imifanekiso ukuze asisize. Njengoba sesibonile, amandla akhe uwafanekisa ngenkunzi. (Hezekeli 1:4-10) Leso silwane siyafaneleka, ngoba ngisho nenkunzi efuyiwe iyisilwane esikhulu nesinamandla. Abantu basePalestina yezikhathi zeBhayibheli babeqabukela bebone into enamandla ukwedlula inkunzi, uma kwakuke kwenzeke. Kodwa babeyazi inkunzi eyesabeka ngaphezu kwefuywayo​—inkunzi yasendle, noma i-aurochs, engasekho manje. (Jobe 39:9-12) Umbusi waseRoma uJulius Caesar wake wathi lezi zinkunzi zazithi azilingane nezindlovu. Wabhala: “Zinamandla amakhulu nejubane elikhulu.” Zicabange ukuthi ungazizwa uwubala futhi ungenamandla kangakanani uma umi eduze kwalesi silwane!

6. Kungani kunguJehova kuphela obizwa ngokuthi ‘uMninimandla Onke’?

⁶ Ngokufanayo, umuntu mncane futhi akanamandla uma  eqhathaniswa noNkulunkulu wamandla, uJehova. Ngisho nezizwe ezinamandla zinjengothuli ezikalini kuye. (Isaya 40:15) Ngokungafani nanoma yiziphi izidalwa, uJehova unamandla angenamkhawulo, ngoba uyena kuphela obizwa ngokuthi ‘uMninimandla Onke.’ a (IsAmbulo 15:3) UJehova ‘unamandla amakhulu namangalisayo.’ (Isaya 40:26) UnguMthombo wamandla ohlale unamandla amaningi nangapheli. Akancikile kwezinye izinto ukuze athole amandla, ngoba “amandla angakaNkulunkulu.” (IHubo 62:11) UJehova uwasebenzisa kanjani-ke amandla akhe?

7. Uyini umoya ongcwele kaJehova, futhi asikiselani amazwi ezilimi zokuqala asetshenziswe eBhayibhelini?

⁷ UJehova uwuthulula ngobuningi umoya ongcwele futhi awusoze waphela. Ungamandla akhe asebenzayo. Eqinisweni, embhalweni waphansi kuGenesise 1:2, iBhayibheli liwubiza ngokuthi “amandla kaNkulunkulu asebenzayo.” Amagama okuqala esiHebheru nesiGreki ahunyushwe ngokuthi “umoya” angase ahunyushwe ngokuthi “umoya ovunguzayo,” “umoya ohogelwayo,” nangokuthi “isiphepho.” Ngokwababhali bezichazamazwi, amagama olimi lokuqala asikisela amandla angabonakali asebenzayo. Njengomoya ovunguzayo, umoya kaNkulunkulu asiwuboni ngamehlo, kodwa imiphumela yokuba khona kwawo ingokoqobo futhi iyabonakala.

8. EBhayibhelini, ubizwa ngokuthini umoya kaNkulunkulu ngokomfanekiso, futhi kungani efaneleka la magama?

⁸ Umoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu usebenziseka ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene. UJehova angawusebenzisela ukufeza noma iyiphi injongo ayicabangayo. Kuyafaneleka-ke ukuthi eBhayibhelini umoya kaNkulunkulu ubizwa ngokomfanekiso ngokuthi ‘umunwe’ wakhe, ‘isandla,’ sakhe noma “amandla [akhe] amakhulu.” (Luka 11:20; Duteronomi 5:15; IHubo 8:3) Njengoba nje umuntu engasebenzisa izandla zakhe enze imisebenzi  ehlukahlukene edinga amandla nobunyoninco obuhlukahlukene, noNkulunkulu angasebenzisa umoya wakhe ukuze afeze noma iyiphi injongo​—njengokudala i-athomu encanyana, noma ukudabula uLwandle Olubomvu, noma ukwenza amaKristu ekhulu lokuqala akwazi ukukhuluma ngezinye izilimi.

9. Makhulu kangakanani amandla kaJehova okubusa?

⁹ UJehova futhi usebenzisa amandla akhe ngegunya analo njengoMbusi Wendawo Yonke. Ungacabanga yini kunezigidigidi zabantu abangaphansi kwakho abahlakaniphile, abenza izinto kahle, nabazimisele ukwenza lokho okushoyo? UJehova unamandla anjalo. Unezinceku ezingabantu, ezivame ukufaniswa nebutho emiBhalweni. (IHubo 68:11; 110:3) Nokho, umuntu uyisidalwa esibuthaka uma eqhathaniswa nengelosi. Angithi ngesikhathi ibutho lase-Asiriya lihlasela abantu bakaNkulunkulu, ingelosi eyodwa vo yabulala amasosha angu-185 000 ngobusuku obubodwa! (2 AmaKhosi 19:35) Izingelosi zikaNkulunkulu ‘zinamandla amakhulu.’​—IHubo 103:19, 20.

10. (a) Kungani uMninimandla Onke ebizwa ngokuthi uJehova wamabutho? (b) Ubani onamandla ukuzedlula zonke izidalwa zikaJehova?

¹⁰ Zingaki izingelosi? Umprofethi uDaniyeli wathola umbono wezulu abona kuwo izidalwa zomoya ezingaphezu kwezigidi eziyikhulu phambi kwesihlalo sobukhosi sikaJehova, kodwa akukho okubonisa ukuthi wazibona zonke ngothi lwazo izidalwa eziyizingelosi. (Daniyeli 7:10) Ngakho kungenzeka ukuthi kunamakhulu ezigidi zezingelosi. Yingakho uNkulunkulu ebizwa ngokuthi uJehova wamabutho. Lesi siqu sichaza isikhundla sakhe esinamandla njengoMlawuli webutho lezingelosi elikhulu, elihlelekile nelinamandla. Phezu kwazo zonke lezi zidalwa zomoya, sinye asibeke ukuba siphathe, iNdodana yakhe ayithandayo, “izibulo layo yonke indalo.” (Kolose 1:15) Njengoba uJesu eyingelosi enkulu​—inhloko yazo zonke izingelosi, amaserafi namakherubi—​uyisidalwa esinamandla ukuzedlula zonke izidalwa zikaJehova.

11, 12. (a) Izwi likaNkulunkulu linamandla ngaziphi izindlela? (b) UJesu wabufakazela kanjani ubukhulu bamandla kaJehova?

¹¹ UJehova unenye futhi indlela asebenzisa ngayo amandla. EyamaHebheru 4:12 ithi: “Izwi likaNkulunkulu liyaphila,  linamandla.” Ingabe usuwabonile amandla amakhulu ezwi likaNkulunkulu, noma umyalezo ophefumulelwe ngomoya ogcinwe eBhayibhelini? Lingasiqinisa, lakhe ukholo lwethu, futhi lisisize senze izinguquko ezinkulu kithi ngokwethu. Umphostoli uPawulu waxwayisa ayekholwa nabo ngabantu ababeziphatha kabi. Wabe esenezela: “Kodwa nokho yilokho abanye kini ababeyikho.” (1 Korinte 6:9-11) Yebo, “izwi likaNkulunkulu” lase libe namandla kubo, labasiza bashintsha.

¹² Amandla kaJehova makhulu futhi izindlela zakhe zokuwasebenzisa ziphumelela kangangokuthi akukho lutho olungamvimba. UJesu wathi: “KuNkulunkulu zonke izinto zingenzeka.” (Mathewu 19:26) Yiziphi izinjongo uJehova azifeza ngamandla akhe?

13, 14. (a) Kungani singathi uJehova akawona umthombo wamandla ongenabo ubuntu? (b) UJehova uwasebenzisa ngaziphi izindlela amandla akhe?

¹³ Umoya kaJehova mkhulu kakhulu kunanoma yimaphi amandla ento edaliwe; futhi uJehova akawona amandla angenabo ubuntu, umthombo wamandla ongelutho. UnguNkulunkulu onobuntu, owalawula ngokuphelele amandla akhe. Kodwa yini emenza ukuba awasebenzise?

¹⁴ Njengoba sizobona, uNkulunkulu usebenzisa amandla akhe ukuze adale, abhubhise, avikele, noma abuyisele izinto esimweni sangaphambili​—ngamafuphi, uwasebenzisela ukwenza noma yini evumelana nezinjongo zakhe eziphelele. (Isaya 46:10) Kwezinye izimo, uJehova usebenzisa amandla akhe ukuze embule izici ezibalulekile zobuntu bakhe nemithetho yakhe. Ngaphezu kwakho konke, uqondisa amandla akhe ukuze afeze intando yakhe​—angcwelise igama lakhe elingcwele ngoMbuso KaMesiya, abonise ukuthi indlela yakhe yokubusa izedlula zonke. Akukho lutho oluyoke lwenze leyo njongo ingaphumeleli.

15. UJehova uwasebenzisela yiphi injongo amandla akhe ezincekwini zakhe, futhi kwaboniswa kanjani lokhu endabeni ka-Eliya?

¹⁵ UJehova uyawasebenzisa futhi amandla akhe ukuze azuzise thina njengabantu ngabanye. Phawula lokho okushiwo eyesi-2 IziKronike 16:9: “Amehlo kaJehova aqalaza kuwo wonke umhlaba  ukuze abonise amandla akhe ngenxa yalabo abanhliziyo yabo iphelele kuye.” Okwabonwa u-Eliya, okushiwo ekuqaleni, kuyisibonelo salokhu. UJehova wamnikezelani lobo bufakazi obumangalisayo bamandla akhe? Indlovukazi ekhohlakele, uJezebeli, yayifunge ukuthi izombulala u-Eliya. Lo mprofethi wayebaleka ukuze asindise ukuphila kwakhe. Wazizwa enesizungu, esaba, futhi edikibele​—njengokungathi wayezikhandlele ize. Ukuze aduduze le ndoda eyayikhathazekile, uJehova wamkhumbuza ngokucacile u-Eliya ngamandla aKhe. Umoya, ukuzamazama komhlaba, nomlilo kwabonisa ukuthi u-Eliya wayesekelwa uMuntu onamandla amakhulu ezulwini nasemhlabeni. Wayengamesabani nje uJezebeli, ebe esekelwa uNkulunkulu umninimandla onke?​—1 AmaKhosi 19:1-12. b

16. Kungani kungasiduduza ukuzindla ngamandla kaJehova amakhulu?

¹⁶ Yize engasazenzi izimangaliso manje, uJehova akashintshile kusukela osukwini luka-Eliya. (1 Korinte 13:8) Usazimisele nanamuhla ukusebenzisa amandla akhe ukuze kuzuze abamthandayo. Yebo, uhlala endaweni yomoya ephakeme, kodwa akaqhelile kithi. Amandla akhe awanamkhawulo, ngakho ibanga aliyona inkinga. Kunalokho, “uJehova useduze nabo bonke abambizayo.” (IHubo 145:18) Umprofethi uDaniyeli wake wacela usizo kuJehova, ingelosi yafika engakaqedi nakuqeda ukuthandaza! (Daniyeli 9:20-23) Akukho lutho olungavimba uJehova ukuba asize futhi aqinise labo abathandayo.​—IHubo 118:6.

17. Amandla kaJehova akhuthaza ukwesaba okunjani, kodwa hlobo luni lokwesaba angalukhuthazi?

¹⁷ Ingabe amandla kaNkulunkulu kufanele asenze simesabe? Kumele siphendule ngokuthi yebo nangokuthi cha. Sithi  yebo ngoba le mfanelo isinikeza isizathu esihle sokumesaba nokumhlonipha ngokujulile, ukwesaba nenhlonipho, esixoxe ngakho kafushane esahlukweni esingaphambili. IBhayibheli lisitshela ukuthi lokho kwesaba “kuwukuqala kokuhlakanipha.” (IHubo 111:10) Kodwa siphendula nangokuthi cha ngoba amandla kaNkulunkulu awasiniki nakancane isizathu sokumesaba ngendlela ekhwantabalisayo noma isizathu sokumshalazela, singasondeli kuye.

18. (a) Kungani abaningi bengabethembi abantu abanamandla? (b) Sazi kanjani ukuthi uJehova akasoze onakaliswa amandla akhe?

¹⁸ “Amandla athambekele ekonakaliseni; amandla aphelele onakalisa ngokuphelele.” Sabhala kanjalo isazi-mlando esiyiNgisi uLord Acton ngo-1887. Kukaningi la mazwi akhe ephindaphindwa, mhlawumbe ngenxa yokuthi baningi abantu abawabona eyiqiniso elingenakuphikwa. Abantu abanesono bavame ukuwasebenzisa kabi amandla, njengoba umlando uye wakufakazela lokhu kaninginingi. (UmShumayeli 4:1; 8:9) Ngalesi sizathu, abaningi ababathembi abantu abanamandla futhi bayazehlukanisa nabo. UJehova unamandla aphelele. Ingabe amonakalisile ngandlela-thile? Lutho neze! Njengoba sesibonile, ungcwele, akanakonakaliswa nganoma iyiphi indlela. UJehova akafani namadoda nabesifazane abanesono abanamandla kuleli zwe elonakele. Akakaze awasebenzise kabi amandla akhe, futhi akasoze.

19, 20. (a) UJehova ngaso sonke isikhathi usebenzisa amandla akhe ngokuvumelana naziphi ezinye izimfanelo, futhi kungani lokhu kuqinisa idolo? (b) Ungakufanekisa kanjani ukuzibamba kukaJehova, futhi kungani kukuthinta inhliziyo?

¹⁹ Khumbula, akukona ukuthi uJehova unemfanelo eyodwa kuphela, amandla. Sisazofunda ngobulungisa bakhe, ukuhlakanipha kwakhe nothando lwakhe. Kodwa akufanele sicabange ukuthi uJehova uveza izimfanelo zakhe ngendlela eqinile nengenangqondo, njengokungathi usebenzisa imfanelo eyodwa ngesikhathi. Kunalokho, sizobona ezahlukweni ezilandelayo ukuthi uJehova ngaso sonke isikhathi usebenzisa amandla akhe ngokuvumelana nobulungisa bakhe, ukuhlakanipha kwakhe nothando lwakhe. Cabanga nangenye imfanelo kaNkulunkulu, leyo eyivela kancane kubabusi bezwe—ukuzibamba.

 ²⁰ Zicabange uhlangana nomdondoshiya womuntu onamandla owethusayo. Kodwa ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uyaphawula ukuthi umnene. Uhlale ekulungele futhi ezimisele ukusebenzisa amandla akhe ngenjongo yokusiza nokuvikela abantu, ikakhulukazi labo abangakwazi ukuzivikela nabalimala kalula. Akawasebenzisi neze kabi amandla akhe. Uyambona enyundelwa ngaphandle kwesizathu, nokho akahluthuki kodwa wehlisa umoya, uzothile, unomusa nokuba nomusa. Uyazibuza ukuthi wena ubuyokwazi yini ukubonisa ubumnene nokuzibamba okufanayo, ikakhulukazi ukube ubunamandla njengaye! Njengoba uya umazi lo muntu, ubungeke yini usondele kuye? Sinesizathu esikhulu nakakhulu sokusondela kuJehova onawo wonke amandla. Cabanga ngalo mBhalo okusekelwe kuwo isihloko salesi sahluko: “UJehova uyephuza ukuthukuthela, unamandla amakhulu.” (Nahume 1:3) UJehova akasheshi ukusebenzisa amandla akhe ukuze alwe nabantu, ngisho nababi. Umnene futhi unomusa. Uye wazibonisa ‘ephuza ukuthukuthela’ naphezu kokucasulwa kaninginingi.—IHubo 78:37-41.

21. Kungani uJehova engabaphoqi abantu ukuba benze intando yakhe, futhi lokhu kusifundisani ngaye?

²¹ Ake ukubheke ngenye indlela futhi ukuzibamba kukaJehova. Ukube ubunamandla angenamkhawulo, ucabanga ukuthi  ngezinye izikhathi ubungalingeka ukuba wenze abantu benze izinto ngendlela yakho? UJehova akabaphoqi abantu ukuba bamkhonze, yize enamandla kanjalo. Nakuba ukukhonza uNkulunkulu kuwukuphela kwendlela yokuthola ukuphila okuphakade, uJehova akasiphoqi ukuba simkhonze. Kunalokho, umuntu ngamunye umphakamisa ngomusa ngokumnika inkululeko yokuzikhethela. Uxwayisa ngemiphumela yokukhetha ngobuwula, asho nemivuzo yokukhetha okuhle. Kodwa ushiyela kithi ukuba sizikhethele. (Duteronomi 30:19, 20) UJehova akayijabuleli neze inkonzo eyenziwa ngempoqo noma eyenziwa ngenxa yokuwesaba ngendlela ekhwantabalisayo amandla akhe amangalisayo. Ufuna labo abazomkhonza ngokuzithandela, ngenxa yothando.—2 Korinte 9:7.

22, 23. (a) Yini ebonisa ukuthi uJehova uyakujabulela ukunikeza abanye amandla? (b) Sizoxoxa ngani esahlukweni esilandelayo?

²² Masibheke isizathu sokugcina sokuba kungadingeki siphile ngokwesaba uNkulunkulu uMninimandla Onke. Abantu abanamandla baye bangathandisisi ukuhlanganyela lawo mandla nabanye. Kodwa uJehova uyakujabulela ukunikeza abakhulekeli bakhe abaqotho amandla. Ubaphathisa igunya elikhulu abanye, njengeNdodana yakhe. (Mathewu 28:18) UJehova ubuye anikeze izinceku zakhe amandla ngenye indlela. IBhayibheli liyachaza: “O Jehova, ngobakho ubukhulu namandla nobuhle nobukhazikhazi nesithunzi, ngoba konke okusemazulwini nokusemhlabeni kungokwakho. . . . esandleni sakho kukhona amandla nobukhulu, isandla sakho sikwazi ukukhulisa nokunika amandla kukho konke.”—1 IziKronike 29:11, 12.    

²³ Yebo, uJehova uyokujabulela ukukunika amandla. Uze abanikeze “amandla angaphezu kwavamile” labo abafuna ukumkhonza. (2 Korinte 4:7) Awuzizwa yini udonseleka kulo Nkulunkulu onamandla kangaka, osebenzisa amandla akhe ngendlela enomusa nenobuntu kanje? Esahlukweni esilandelayo sizogxila endleleni uJehova asebenzisa ngayo amandla akhe ekudaleni.