IArmagedoni—Nini?

“SIMI eArmagedoni futhi silwela iNkosi.” Ngalawomazwi, owayengumongameli waseU.S. uTheodore Roosevelt wasebenzisa igama elithi “Armagedoni” ebhekisela empini yezombangazwe ayehileleke kuyo. Ngakho, ingabe iArmagedoni kumelwe siyifune enkundleni yezombangazwe?

Eminyakeni embalwa edlule, umagazini waseCanada iBusiness Life wawunengxenye enesihloko esithi “IArmagedoni Yezomnotho.” Isihlokwana sabuza: “Ingabe ukuhluleka kwamaZwe Asathuthuka ukukhokha izikweletu kuyobangela ukuwa kwethu ngokwezomnotho?” Kodwa ingabe kufanele sicabange ngeArmagedoni njengenhlekelele engokwezimali?

Ngokwephephandaba iNewsweek, ukuphela kwezwe kwaba indaba yokukhankasa ngesikhathi senkulumo-mpikiswano yokukhankasela ubongameli ngo-1984. Kulesosehlakalo, owayengumongameli waseU.S. ngalesosikhathi uRonald Reagan “wabuzwa ukuthi uyakukholelwa ngempela yini ukuthi izwe liphikelele ‘eArmagedoni yenuzi.’ UReagan wavumelana ‘nezingxoxo zefilosofi’ eziphathelene nokufana phakathi kwezenzakalo zanamuhla nezibonakaliso eziseBhayibhelini ezibikezela izinsuku zokugcina, kodwa umlawuli ophethe waphikelela ngokuthi akashongo ukuthi ‘kumelwe sihlele ngokuvumelana neArmagedoni.’” Nokho, ingabe ukufuna kwethu incazelo yeArmagedoni kufanele kugxile empini esongela ukhukhulela-ngoqo wenuzi?

Abantu abaningi abathanda inkolo bathi iArmagedoni iyimpi. Kodwa ekuqaleni kwekhulu leminyaka lika-19, isazi seBhayibheli uAdam Clarke sabhala: “Yeka ukuthi zibe ezihlekisa kanjani iziphetho zabantu ezisekelwe ekuqageleni ngokuqondene naleliphuzu! Phakathi neminyaka engamashumi amabili edlule lempi iye yalwiwa ezindaweni ezihlukahlukene, ngokwababoni bethu ababona kalufifi nabaprofethi abaziphufumulele bona siqu! Ngesinye isikhathi yayiseAusterlitz, ngesinye yaba seMoscow, ngesinye yaba seLeipsic, futhi manje iseWaterloo! Baye baqhubeka kanjalo, futhi bazoqhubeka, bekhungathekisa futhi bekhungathekile.”

Ngokusobala ukufuna incazelo yeArmagedoni kuphakamisa imibuzo ebalulekile. Iyini iArmagedoni? Uma iyimpi, obani abayohlanganyela kuyo? Iyolwelwani? Iyolwelwa kuphi? Futhi iArmagedoni iyoba nini?

Iyini IArmagedoni?

Igama elithi “Armagedoni” lisuselwa egameni elitholakala encwadini yeBhayibheli yesAmbulo, eyaziwayo ngolimi lwayo olungokomfanekiso. Kuyo umphostoli uJohane wabhala: “Ngabona kuphuma emlonyeni kadrako, nasemlonyeni wesilo, nasemlonyeni womprofethi wamanga omoya abathathu abangcolileyo, befana nezingxangxa; ngokuba bangomoya bamademoni, benza izibonakaliso, abaphuma beya emakhosini ezwe lonke ukubahlanganisela ekulweni kosuku olukhulu lukaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke. . . . Wayesebahlanganisela endaweni ethiwa ngesiHeberu iHarmagedoni.”—IsAmbulo 16:13-16.

Elithi Armagedoni, noma Harmagedoni, liwukuhunyushwa ngokwezwi nezwi kwegama lesiGreki elifana nenkulumo yesiHeberu ethi Har Meghid·dohnʹ esho “iNtaba YaseMegido,” noma “iNtaba Yokuhlanganela Amabutho.” Lihlangene ‘nokulwa kosuku olukhulu lukaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke.’ Ngakho iArmagedoni ayikhona ukulwa okungokombangazwe, inhlekelele yezomnotho, ukhukhulela-ngoqo wenuzi, noma ingxabano yabantu. Kunalokho, iArmagedoni iyimpi kaNkulunkulu.

Obani Abayohlanganyela Kuyo?

Omoya abathathu abangcolile abanjengezingxangxa baphuma emlonyeni kadrako (uSathane uDeveli), wesilo (isimiso sakhe sezombangazwe sasemhlabeni), nowomprofethi wamanga ongumbuso wamaNgisi namaMelika. Labomoya bamademoni, noma izingelosi ezimbi, bahlanganisela amakhosi asemhlabeni, noma ababusi, eHarmagedoni.—Bheka isahluko 32 sencwadi ethi IsAmbulo—Umvuthwandaba Waso Omkhulu Useduze! ekhishwa yiWatchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.

Ngasohlangothini lukaJehova empini yeArmagedoni kukhona ibutho elikhulu lomoya elingabonakali eliholwa iNkosi uJesu Kristu. Umphostoli uJohane wabika: “Ngase ngibona izulu livulekile; bheka, nanto ihashi elimhlophe nohlezi phezu kwalo obizwa ngokuthi oThembekileyo noQinisileyo; uyahlulela [uJesu], alwe ngokulunga. . . . Izimpi zasezulwini zamlandela . . . Emlonyeni wakhe kwaphuma inkemba ebukhali, ukuze ashaye izizwe ngayo; yena uyakuzibusa ngentonga yensimbi; yena uqobo uyanyathela isikhamo sewayini lentukuthelo yolaka lukaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke. Unegama lilotshiwe engutsheni yakhe nasethangeni lakhe elithi: INKOSI YAMAKHOSI NOMBUSI WABABUSI.” (IsAmbulo 19:11-16) Inkemba ende ebukhali imelela igunya likaKristu lokuyala ukuba kubulawe bonke abenqaba ukusekela uMbuso kaNkulunkulu. (IsAmbulo 1:16; 2:16) Kunamabutho amakhulu angabonakali alungele ukulwa impi yeArmagedoni.

Kolunye uhlangothi kukhona uSathane, izixuku zakhe ezingamademoni, namakhosi awo wonke umhlaba owakhiwe. Kodwa akufanele sicabange kuphela ngababusi bomhlaba abasendaweni ebonakalayo, ngoba nabantu abababusayo bahilelekile. Kwabikezelwa: “UJehova uthukuthelela izizwe zonke, ufuthekela yonke impi yazo.”—Isaya 34:2.

Kungani Iyolwiwa?

IArmagedoni iyolwiwa ngoba uNkulunkulu ulungile futhi ngeke esabubekezelela ububi. (IHubo 11:7) Ngakho kumelwe ibhujiswe inhlangano kaSathane uDeveli, eyakhiwa yikho kokubili amademoni nabantu abahlubukayo, okunecala lobubi nosizi okwenzeke ezinkulungwaneni zeminyaka ezidlule. (Qhathanisa noGenesise 3:15.) Ubukhosi bukaJehova bendawo yonke buyophakanyiswa eArmagedoni, futhi leyompi iyosusa egameni lakhe isihlamba ebesinqwatshelwaniswa kulo amakhulu iminyaka. Njengoba uNkulunkulu amemezela ngomprofethi wakhe uHezekeli: “[Ngeke] ngisavuma ukuba igama lami elingcwele lingcoliswe, izizwe zazi ukuthi nginguJehova.”—Hezekeli 39:7.

Eqinisweni impi kaNkulunkulu yaseArmagedoni iyovimbela ukubhujiswa kwaso sonke isintu. UJehova wadala umhlaba ukuba kuhlalwe kuwo, hhayi ukuba ubhujiswe empini yenuzi ephakathi kwabantu noma wenziwe ngandlela thile ungakufanelekeli ukuphila. (Isaya 45:18) ‘Uyobhubhisa ababhubhisa umhlaba.’ (IsAmbulo 11:18) Kodwa umhubi wathi: “UJehova uyinkosi; izwe [ngesiHeberu, te·velʹ; umhlaba, njengovundile ongahlali muntu, imbulunga engahlaleka] lihlala liqinile, lingenakushukunyiswa.”—IHubo 96:10.

Lokho uNkulunkulu akwenzayo eArmagedoni kuyobe kuvumelana ngokuphelele nezimfanelo zakhe eziyinhloko ezingukwahlulela ngokulunga, ukuhlakanipha, amandla, nothando. (Duteromoni 32:4; Jobe 12:13; Isaya 40:26; 1 Johane 4:8) Uyokulwa ‘nezoni ezingamesabi uNkulunkulu,’ hhayi nabaqotho. (Juda 14, 15) ‘Ababi kuphela abayonikelwa enkembeni.’ (Jeremiya 25:31) Lokhu kuyovula indlela yokubuyiselwa kwePharadesi, kugcwaliswa injongo yaphezulu ngomhlaba nesintu.—Luka 23:43.

Iyolwelwa Kuphi?

Njengoba igama elithi “Armagedoni” livela enkulumweni yesiHeberu esho “iNtaba YaseMegido,” abanye bangase baphethe ngokuthi iyolwelwa endaweni ephakeme ebizwa ngalelogama. Nokho, ayikaze ibe khona intaba ethiwa iMegido. Amakhilomitha angu-100 ukusuka eJerusalema ukuya enyakatho-ntshonalanga kwakukhona idolobha elalisegqumeni, noma umuzi, owawuthiwa iMegido, kodwa manje yindunduma nje engaba amamitha angu-20 ukuphakama ewuphawu lwendawo owawukuyo.—Joshuwa 17:11.

Lowomuzi wasendulo wawengame ‘isigodi saseMegido.’ (2 IziKronike 35:22) Ukuhlanganisa iArmagedoni (noma iHarmagedoni) naleyondawo kufanelekile ngoba kwakuyindawo yokulwela izimpi eziwujuqu. Ngokwesibonelo, kuleyondawo uNkulunkulu wenza ukuba umaHluleli uBaraki akwazi ukunqoba inkosi yamaKhanani uJabini nempi yakhe eyayilawulwa uSisera. (AbaHluleli 4:12-24; 5:19, 20) Kuleyondawo uGideyoni neqembu lakhe elincane baxosha abakwaMidiyani. (AbaHluleli 7:1–8:35) NamaKhosi uAhaziya noJosiya abulawelwa lapho.—2 AmaKhosi 9:27; 23:29, 30.

Nokho, kungokuphawulekayo ukuthi lesigodi, esibizwa ngokuthi futhi isiGodi Sase-Esdraelon, singamakhilomitha angu-32 kuphela ubude namakhilomitha angu-29 ububanzi empumalanga. Amakhosi omhlaba wonke owakhiwe kanye namabutho enezimpi zawo awasoze anela endaweni encane kangako. Ngaphandle kwalokho, indunduma (igquma laseMegido) noma isigodi akuyona intaba. Khona-ke, ngokucacile iArmagedoni ngeke ibe sendaweni ethile eyintaba eseMpumalanga Ephakathi kuphela. Kunalokho, iArmagedoni (noma iHarmagedoni) ifanekisela isimo sezwe lonke, nakuba incazelo yayo isukela eMegido nakulokho okwenzeka kuleyondawo.

Iyoba Nini IArmagedoni?

Njengoba iMegido yayisezweni labantu bakaNkulunkulu basendulo, okwenzeka eArmagedoni kuhlobana noFakazi BakaJehova ‘kulesikhathi sokuphela.’ (Daniyeli 12:4) IHarmagedoni ibhekisela “endaweni” ababusi bezombangazwe ababuthelwa kuyo ngokumelene noJehova noMbuso wakhe ngoJesu Kristu. (IsAmbulo 16:14, 16) Kodwa ‘leyondawo’ (ngesiGreki, toʹpos) ibonisa isimo sezwe. IArmagedoni iyokwenzeka lapho kuvela isimo esithile esithinta oFakazi BakaJehova emhlabeni wonke.

Ukuchuma okungokomoya koFakazi BakaJehova kuyamthukuthelisa uSathane uDeveli, ozowahlasela ngokuzidela amathambo lamaKristu okubonakala sengathi awavikelekile. Lokhu kuhlasela emhlabeni wonke kukaSathane, noma uGogi, kuchazwe kuHezekeli izahluko 38 no-39. Zingaphansi kwethonya likaDeveli, izizwe ziyomelana nabantu bakaJehova abathanda ukuthula abaqoqwe ezizweni zonke. Yebo, ukuphikisa kobusathane kuyobonakaliswa isenzo sabantu embulungeni yonke ngokumelene nezinceku zikaJehova zasemhlabeni, abameleli nabamemezeli ababonakalayo boMbuso kaNkulunkulu.

Ngokuvamile impi yaziwa ngendawo elwelwa kuyo. Kanjalo, ukuvikela kukaNkulunkulu abantu bakhe okunamandla, kungabizwa ngokuthi impi yaseArmagedoni. Lapho uJehova ema ukuba avikele izinceku zakhe ekuhlaseleni kukaGogi, iArmagedoni iyobe isiqalile! Ohulumeni babantu bayobhidlika. Umvimbi okhukhulayo, isichotho esibhubhisayo, umlilo onyazimayo nesibabule, izifo eziyisibhadalala—izenzo zikaNkulunkulu ngempela—kuyobangela ingebhe ezweni lonke elingaphandle koFakazi BakaJehova. Izitha zabo ezingabantu ziyophendukelana zodwa ngezikhali zazo. Futhi labo abangafi kulempi yokuzibulala, uJehova uyobaqothula.—Hezekeli 38:18-23; Daniyeli 2:44.

Ngenxa yokwesaba, isandla sawo wonke umuntu siyophendukela umakhelwane wakhe ngomzabalazo wobuhlanya kodwa ongaphumeleli wokuzisindisa. (Zakariya 14:12, 13) “Ngalolosuku ababuleweyo bakaJehova bayakusukela komunye umkhawulo womhlaba, baze bafike komunye; abayikukhalelwa, abayikubuthwa, abayikumbelwa, bayakuba-ngumquba ebusweni bomhlaba.” (Jeremiya 25:33) Noma imuphi umzamo wokuhlala ungathathi-hlangothi empini kaNkulunkulu uyosho ukufa kuwe eArmagedoni! Futhi njengoba kuye kwafakazelwa kaningi ngokwemiBhalo kulomagazini, isizukulwane esikhona manje ngeke sidlule ingafiki iArmagedoni!—Mathewu 24:21, 34.

Lokho IArmagedoni Eyokufeza

IArmagedoni iyosusa umkhondo wokugcina wenhlangano kaSathane yasemhlabeni. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uDeveli namademoni akhe bayofakwa kwalasha. (IsAmbulo 20:1-3) Yeka izibusiso eziyobe sezigelezela kubantu bakaJehova, abantu abajabulayo abasinde empini yakhe enkulu yeArmagedoni! Bayoqhubeka ngenjabulo nomsebenzi wokwakha kabusha oyoguqula wonke umhlaba ube ipharadesi, elingenakho ukungcola, ubuhlungu, ukukhala, izinyembezi, nokufa. (IsAmbulo 11:15, 18; 21:3, 4) Futhi ungaba lapho uma uwanakisisa amazwi omhubi: “Lindela uJehova, ulonde indlela yakhe; uzakukuphakamisa, udle ifa lomhlaba, ubukele lapho ababi bechithwa khona.” (IHubo 37:34) Ngempela, ungase uphile uze ubone impi yosuku olukhulu lukaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke futhi ube osindile ojabulayo lapho iArmagedoni igadla!

“Njengokuba konke kuyakubhidlika kanjalo, kumelwe ukuba nibe-ngabantu abanjani ekuhambeni okungcwele nasekumesabeni uNkulunkulu, nibheka nilangazelela ukufika kosuku lukaNkulunkulu.”—2 Petru 3:11, 12

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 4]

IArmagedoni ayikhona ukulwa okungokwezombangazwe, inhlekelele yezomnotho, ukhukhulela-ngoqo wenuzi, noma ingxabano yabantu. IArmagedoni iyimpi kaNkulunkulu

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 5]

Impi kaNkulunkulu yeArmagedoni iyovimbela ukubhujiswa kwesintu sonke

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 6]

Noma imuphi umzamo wokuhlala ungathathi-hlangothi empini kaNkulunkulu uyosho ukufa kuwe eArmagedoni!