IArmagedon—Isiganeko Esikhokelela Kulonwabo

IGAMA elithi “Armagedon” livela kwibinzana lesiHebhere elithi “Har–Magedon,” okanye “iNtaba yaseMegido.” Eli binzana lifumaneka kwiSityhilelo 16:16, esithi: “Abahlanganisela ndawonye kwindawo ebizwa ngesiHebhere ngokuba yiHar–Magedon.” Ngoobani abahlanganiselwa eArmagedon, ibe ngasiphi isizathu? Kwindinyana engaphambilana, kwiSityhilelo 16:14, sifunda oku: “Ookumkani bomhlaba omiweyo uphela” bahlanganiselwa “kwimfazwe yemini enkulu kaThixo uSomandla.” Kakade ke loo mazwi avusa imibuzo engakumbi ebangel’ umdla. Balwela phi aba “kumkani”? Balwela ntoni, besilwa nabani? Ngaba baya kusebenzisa izixhobo ezinokutshabalalisa intlaninge yabantu ngephanyazo, njengoko abaninzi bekholelwa njalo? Ngaba bakho abaya kusinda eArmagedon? Masivumele iBhayibhile isiphendule.

Ngaba xa kuthethwa ‘ngeNtaba yaseMegido’ kuthethwa ukuba iArmagedon iya kulwelwa kwintaba ethile ekuMbindi Mpuma? Akunjalo. Kuba okokuqala, akukho ntaba injalo kwindawo eyayikuyo iMegido yamandulo, ngaphandle nje kwenduli ephakame kangangeemitha ezingama-20 kufutshane nethafa elilapho. Ukongezelela, ummandla ongqonge iMegido awunakukwazi ukuhlanganisela bonke “ookumkani bomhlaba nemikhosi yabo.” (ISityhilelo 19:19) Noko ke, iMegido yayiyindawo ekwakusiliwa kuyo awona madabi makhulu kwimbali yoMbindi Mpuma. Ngenxa yoko, igama elithi Armagedon lifuzisela imfazwe enkulu enomoyisi omnye kuphela.—Funda ibhokisi ethi “IMegido—Umfuziselo Ofanelekileyo,” kwiphepha 5.

IArmagedon ayinakuba yimfazwe eliwa ziintlanga zabantu abasemhlabeni kuphela, kuba ISityhilelo 16:14 sithi “ookumkani bomhlaba omiweyo uphela” bamanyanisa imikhosi yabo ukuze balwe noThixo “kwimfazwe yemini enkulu kaThixo uSomandla.” Kwisiprofeto sakhe esiphefumlelweyo, uYeremiya wathi “abo babuleweyo nguYehova” baya kusasazeka ‘ukususela kwesinye isiphelo somhlaba base kwesinye isiphelo somhlaba.’ (Yeremiya 25:33) Ngoko ke, iArmagedon asiyomfazwe yabantu elwelwa kwindawo ethile kuMbindi Mpuma. Yimfazwe kaYehova yomhlaba uphela.

Noko ke, phawula ukuba kwiSityhilelo 16:16, iArmagedon ibizwa ngokuba ‘yindawo.’ EBhayibhileni “indawo” inokuthetha imeko ethile—kule imeko, kuthetha ukuba ihlabathi liphela liya kumanyana ekuchaseni uYehova. (ISityhilelo 12:6, 14) EArmagedon zonke iintlanga zomhlaba ziya kumanyana nxamnye ‘nemikhosi yasezulwini’ eyalathiswa ‘nguKumkani wookumkani neNkosi yeenkosi,’ uYesu Kristu.—ISityhilelo 19:14, 16.

Kuthekani ngento yokuba kusithiwa iArmagedon iya kuba yimbubhiso yabantu abaninzi bebulawa ngezixhobo ezenzelwe loo njongo okanye ibe kukuntlithwa komhlaba sesinye sezijikelezi-langa? Ngaba uThixo oluthando unokuvumela abantu nekhaya labo umhlaba baphele ngendlela emasikizi ngolo hlobo? Nakanye. Uchaza ngokucacileyo ukuba akazange umhlaba awudalele “ilize” kodwa ‘wawubumba ukuba umiwe.’ (Isaya 45:18; INdumiso 96:10) EArmagedon, uYehova akayi kutshabalalisa umhlaba wethu ngomlilo. Kunoko, uya “konakalisa abo bawonakalisayo umhlaba.”—ISityhilelo 11:18.

Iza Kufika Nini IArmagedon?

Kangangeenkulungwane, bekusoloko kukho umbuzo oye wagcina abantu befunisela into engapheliyo, othi, Iza kufika nini iArmagedon? Ukuhlolisisa incwadi yeSityhilelo nezinye iincwadi zeBhayibhile kunokusinceda sibone ixesha eliza kubakho ngalo eli dabi libaluleke gqitha. ISityhilelo 16:15 sinxulumanisa iArmagedon nokuza kukaYesu njengesela. Loo mzekeliso wasetyenziswa nguYesu xa wayechaza ngokuza kwakhe ukuza kugweba kule nkqubo yezinto.—Mateyu 24:43, 44; 1 Tesalonika 5:2.

Njengoko kuboniswa kukuzaliseka kweziprofeto zeBhayibhile, ukususela ngowe-1914 siphila kwimihla yokugqibela yale nkqubo yezinto.a Into esiya kubonwa ngayo isiphelo sale mihla yokugqibela, lixesha uYesu awalibiza ngokuba ‘yimbandezelo enkulu.’ IBhayibhile ayichazi ukuba iya kuthabatha ixesha elide kangakanani imbandezelo enkulu, kodwa iintlekele eziya kubangelwa yiyo ziya kuba zezona ntlekele zimbi zingazange khe zabonwa ngabantu. Imbandezelo enkulu iya kufikelela esiphelweni eArmagedon.—Mateyu 24:21, 29.

Ekubeni iArmagedon ‘iyimfazwe yemini enkulu kaThixo uSomandla,’ abantu abanakuyithintela. UYehova ubeke ‘ixesha elimisiweyo’ eza kuqala ngayo loo mfazwe. ‘Aliyi kufika emva kwexesha.’—Habhakuki 2:3.

UThixo Wobulungisa Ulwa Imfazwe Esesikweni

Noko ke, kutheni uThixo esilwa imfazwe nehlabathi liphela? IArmagedon inxulumene ngokusondeleyo nolunye lweempawu zakhe ezibalaseleyo, okusesikweni. IBhayibhile ithi: “UYehova ngumthandi wokusesikweni.” (INdumiso 37:28) Uye wazibona zonke izenzo zokungekho sikweni eziye zenzeka ebudeni bembali yomntu, ibe oku kumenza buhlungu. Ngenxa yoko, uye wamisela uNyana wakhe ukuba alwe imfazwe yokusesikweni ukuze atshabalalise yonke le nkqubo ingendawo.

NguYehova kuphela onokulwa imfazwe yokusesikweni eza kubulala kuphela abo bafanelwe kukutshatyalaliswa, aze ke wona amalungisa enoba akweyiphi indawo emhlabeni asindiswe. (Mateyu 24:40, 41; ISityhilelo 7:9, 10, 13, 14) Ikwanguye kuphela onokumisela ulongamo lwakhe emhlabeni wonke, kuba udalwe nguye.—ISityhilelo 4:11.

UYehova uza kuzitshabalalisa njani iintshaba zakhe? Asazi. Kodwa siyazi ukuba unako ukuzitshabalalisa ngokupheleleyo iintlanga ezingendawo. (Yobhi 38:22, 23; Zefaniya 1:15-18) Noko ke, abanquli bakaThixo basemhlabeni abayi kuncedisa kweli dabi. Umbono okwiSityhilelo isahluko 19 ubonisa ukuba yimikhosi yasezulwini kuphela eya kuncedisa uYesu Kristu emfazweni. Akukho namnye kubakhonzi bakaYehova basemhlabeni abangamaKristu oya kuba nenxaxheba.—2 Kronike 20:15, 17.

UThixo Onobulumko Unikela Izilumkiso

Ngaba baya kubakho abasindileyo? Eneneni, akukho mntu umele atshabalale eArmagedon. Umpostile uPetros wathi: “UYehova . . . akanqweneli ukuba kutshabalale nabani na kodwa unqwenela ukuba bonke bafikelele enguqukweni.” (2 Petros 3:9) Yena umpostile uPawulos wathi uThixo ‘uthanda ukuba zonke iintlobo zabantu zisindiswe zize zifikelele elwazini oluchanileyo lwenyaniso.’—1 Timoti 2:4.

Ngenxa yeso sizathu, uYehova uye waqinisekisa ukuba ‘iindaba ezilungileyo zobukumkani’ zishunyayelwa emhlabeni wonke, ngeelwimi ezininzi. Ehlabathini liphela abantu banikwa ithuba lokusinda. (Mateyu 24:14; INdumiso 37:34; Filipi 2:12) Abo bamkela iindaba ezilungileyo banokusinda eArmagedon baze baphile ngonaphakade befezekile kumhlaba oyiparadesi. (Hezekile 18:23, 32; Zefaniya 2:3; Roma 10:13) Ngaba le asinto ubani ebenokuyilindela kuThixo oluthando?—1 Yohane 4:8.

Ngaba UThixo Oluthando Unokulwa?

Noko ke, abaninzi bazibuza isizathu sokuba uThixo oluthando eza kutshabalalisa abantu abaninzi kangaka. Le meko inokufaniswa nekhaya elifakwe isibulala-zinambuzane. Ngaba akuvumi ukuba umninimzi umele akhusele impilo yentsapho yakhe ngokubulala izinambuzane eziyingozi?

Ngokufanayo, isizathu sokuba uYehova alwe imfazwe eArmagedon, kukuba ubathanda gqitha abantu. Injongo kaThixo kukwenza umhlaba ube yiparadesi aze enze abantu bafezeke baze babe seluxolweni, ‘kungekho bani ubangcangcazelisayo.’ (Mika 4:3, 4; ISityhilelo 21:4) Ngoko, yintoni emele yenziwe kwabo benza abanye bangabi naluxolo nonqabiseko? UThixo umele abatshabalalise abantu abangendawo ukuze kulungelwe amalungisa.—2 Tesalonika 1:8, 9; ISityhilelo 21:8.

Imfazwe ezininzi nokufa kwabantu namhlanje kubangelwa lulawulo lwabantu abangafezekanga abanekratshi nabanobuhlanga. (INtshumayelo 8:9) Befuna ukuba ibe ngabo abakhonyayo, oorhulumente babantu ababamkeli kwaphela uBukumkani bukaThixo obumiselweyo. Akubonakali ngathi baya kuze bagob’ uphondo banike uThixo noKristu ulongamo olubafaneleyo. (INdumiso 2:1-9) Ngoko ke, oorhulumente abanjalo bamele bashenxiswe ukuze bavulel’ umtyhi ulawulo loBukumkani bukaYehova obulawulwa nguKristu. (Daniyeli 2:44) Imfazwe yeArmagedon imele ibekho ukuze kuconjululwe ngokupheleleyo imbambano yokuba ngubani onelungelo lokulawula lo mhlaba nabantu.

Isizathu sokuba uYehova eza kungenelela eArmagedon kukuze kungenelwe abantu. Ekubeni imeko yeli hlabathi iya isiba mandundu, lulawulo lukaThixo olufezekileyo kuphela oluya kuzanelisa ngokupheleleyo iintswelo zabantu. BuBukumkani bakhe kuphela obuya kwenza kwesamele uxolo nolonwabo emhlabeni. Beliya kuba njani eli hlabathi ukuba uThixo ebengenakungenelela? Ngaba abantu bebengayi kuqhubeka bethwaxwa yintiyo, ugonyamelo neemfazwe njengoko bekunjalo ebudeni beenkulungwane zolawulo lomntu? Idabi leArmagedon yeyona nto enokukhulula abantu!—Luka 18:7, 8; 2 Petros 3:13.

Imfazwe Eza Kuphelisa Zonke Iimfazwe

IArmagedon iza kufeza oko kungazange kwenziwa nayenye imfazwe—ukuphelisa zonke iimfazwe. Ngubani ongalilangazeleliyo ixesha apho kuya kube kungasekho kwanto kuthiwa yimfazwe? Noko ke, yonke imigudu yabantu yokuphelisa iimfazwe iye yawa phantsi. Ukusilela kwabantu ukuphelisa imfazwe kugxininisa ukuba yinyaniso kwamazwi kaYeremiya athi: “Ndazi kakuhle, Yehova, ukuba ayikho semntwini wasemhlabeni indlela yakhe. Asikokomntu ohambayo ukwalathisa inyathelo lakhe.” (Yeremiya 10:23) Ngokuphathelele oko kuya kwenziwa nguYehova, iBhayibhile ithembisa oku: “Uphelisa iimfazwe kuse esiphelweni somhlaba. Waphula isaphetha nomkhonto; iinqwelo uzitshisa emlilweni.”—INdumiso 46:8, 9.

Xa iintlanga zibulalana ngezixhobo zazo kuze oko kube sisisongelo esinokutshabalalisa umhlaba, uMdali womhlaba uya kuthabatha inyathelo—eArmagedon ethetha ngayo iBhayibhile! (ISityhilelo 11:18) Ngoko ke, le mfazwe iya kuphumeza oko abantu abahlonel’ uThixo bebenethemba lako kule minyaka idluleyo. Iya kuthethelela ilungelo loMdali womhlaba, uYehova uThixo, lokulawula indalo yakhe iphela.

Ngenxa yoko, abantu abathanda ubulungisa abamele bayoyike iArmagedon. Kunoko, imele ibenze babe nethemba. Imfazwe yeArmagedon iza kutshayela bonke ubuqhetseba nobungendawo ivulela indlela inkqubo entsha yezinto neyobulungisa phantsi kolawulo loBukumkani bukaThixo obuphantsi kukaMesiya. (Isaya 11:4, 5) Kunokuba ibe sisiphelo esoyikekayo, iArmagedon iya kuthetha ukufika kolonwabo kubantu abangamalungisa abaya kuphila ngonaphakade kumhlaba oyiparadesi.—INdumiso 37:29.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Ibhokisi/Umfanekiso okwiphepha 5]

IMEGIDO—UMFUZISELO OFANELEKILEYO

IMegido yamandulo yayimi kwindawo entle gqitha, ivelele intshona yeNtlambo iYizereli echumileyo, kumantla akwaSirayeli. Kwakulapho babenqumla khona abarhwebi nemikhosi yamazwe ngamazwe. Ngenxa yoko, iMegido yaba yindawo yokulwela amadabi amakhulu. Kwincwadi yakhe ethi Cities of the Biblical World—Megiddo uNjingalwazi uGraham Davies uthi: “Isixeko saseMegido . . . babengena ngokulula kuso abarhwebi nabo babefudukela apho bevela kwiindawo zonke; kodwa ukuba sasinamandla ngokwaneleyo, sasinokusebenzisa oku ukuphucula urhwebo nomkhosi walapho. Akumangalisi ke ngoko ukuba . . . sasidla ngokufunyanwa njengebhaso ngaboyisileyo yaye bakuba besifumene babeqinisekisa ukuba sinqabiseke ngokupheleleyo.”

Imbali ende yaseMegido yaqala ngenkulungwane yamashumi amabini ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo xa umlawuli waseYiputa uThutmose III woyisa abalawuli baseKanan apho. Yaqhubeka kangangeenkulungwane ukuya kutsho kowe-1918 xa iNjengele yaseBritani uEdmund Allenby yawubetha yawubhulel’ amasaka umkhosi waseTurkey. Kwakulapho eMegido apho uThixo wenza ukuba uMgwebi uBharaki oyise ngokulihlazo uKumkani wakwaKanan uYabhin. (ABagwebi 4:12-24; 5:19, 20) Ukanti noMgwebi uGidiyon wawoyisa apho amaMidiyan. (ABagwebi 7:1-22) UKumkani uAhaziya noYosiya babulawelwa kuloo ndawo.—2 Kumkani 9:27; 23:29, 30.

Kufanelekile ke ngoko ukunxulumanisa iArmagedon naloo ndawo, kuba kwakusiliwa kuyo amadabi amakhulu. Ikufuzisela kakuhle ukoyisa kukaThixo ngokupheleleyo zonke iintshaba zakhe.

[Inkcazelo]

Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 7]

Ehlabathini lonke, abantu banikwa isilumkiso nethuba lokusinda eArmagedon

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 7]

IArmagedon iya kuthetha ukufika kolonwabo