IArmagedoni, IMpumalanga Ephakathi, NeBhayibheli
UMLOBI uHal Lindsey, uthi: “Indawo eyinhloko yakho konke ukubikezela okungokwesiprofetho, uMbuso wakwaIsrayeli.” (The 1980’s: Countdown to Armageddon) Ngakho-ke, okusolekayo ‘encazelweni yokulandelana kwezehlakalo zeArmagedoni’ ngokwalabo abathatha izinto njengoba zinjalo, inkolelo yabo yokuthi uNkulunkulu usebenzelana ngokukhethekile namaIsrayeli. Bakholelwa ukuthi, uNkulunkulu uyongenela lapho izitha zawo zifuna ukuwabhubhisa.
Nokho, iBhayibheli libonisa ukuthi isizwe samaJuda salahlekelwa umusa kaNkulunkulu nesivikelo ngenkathi senqaba iNdodana yakhe, uJesu Kristu. (IzEnzo 3:13, 14, 19) UJesu ngokwakhe wawatshela ngokusobala: “Niyakwamukwa umbuso kaNkulunkulu, uphiwe isizwe esiyakuveza izithelo zawo.”—Mathewu 21:43.
Benqatshwa Ngokuphelele?
Izazi zenkolo uJohn F. noJohn E. Walvoord (ezicashunwe ngaphambili) nokho ziphikisa ngokuthi: “Umphostoli uPawulu wabonisa ngokukhanyayo ukuthi izithembiso zeTestamente Elidala ngoIsrayeli zazisazogcwaliseka. UPawulu wabhala, ‘Ngalokho ngithi: UNkulunkulu usilahlile isizwe sakhe na? Qha nakanye!’ (Roma 11:1) Nokho, ziyehluleka ukucaphuna lonke lelovesi: “Ngokuba nami ngingumIsrayeli, wenzalo ka-Abrahama, wesizwe sakwaBenjamini.” Wayesho ukuthini uPawulu ngalokhu?
UPawulu wayengenakukholelwa ukuthi amaIsrayeli njengesizwe ayesenendawo ekhethekile kuNkulunkulu, ngoba lomphostoli wabonisa “ukudabuka okukhulu nobuhlungu obungapheliyo enhliziyweni [yakhe]” ngokungasabeli kwabo ekulungeni kukaNkulunkulu. (Roma 9:2-5) KumaRoma 9:6 uPawulu uyanezela: “Akusikho okungathi izwi likaNkulunkulu [kuAbrahama] liphuthile. Ngokuba asibo bonke abavela kuIsrayeli [wemvelo] abangabakwaIsrayeli.” Phawula ukuthi uPawulu uthini: uthi ngenxa yokuthi amaJuda amenqaba uKristu, uNkulunkulu akabange esawabheka njengoIsrayeli! Ibandla eligcotshiwe labalandeli bakaJesu Kristu yilona manje elase ‘linguIsrayeli’ wangempela, ithuluzi uNkulunkulu ayezobusisa ngalo sonke isintu.—1 Petru 2:9; Galathiya 3:29; 6:16; Genesise 22:18.
Nokho, uNkulunkulu akazange enqabe abantu abangamaJuda ngabanye, ngoba uPawulu waphawula: “Ngokuba nami ngingumIsrayeli.” Yebo, abantu ngabanye esizweni samaJuda, njengoPawulu, babengaba yingxenye kaIsrayeli ongokomoya uma bamukela uKristu. “Insali” kuphela, idlanzana, elakhetha ukwenza kanjalo.—Roma 11:1, 5.
Ukuphenduka Kwesikhathi Esizayo?
Nokho, abanye balindele ushintsho olukhulu lwezinhliziyo zawo wonke amaJuda emvelo. “Usizi olukhulu, oluyolandela ukuhlwithwa kweSonto,” kusho omunye umbhali wabathatha izinto njengoba zinjalo, “luyoba indlela yokuphendulelwa kukaIsrayeli [ebuKristwini].” Ngokuthakazelisayo, uPawulu uthi kumaRoma 11:25, 26: “Inxenye kaIsrayeli yehlelwe ngubulukhuni kuze kungene inani eligcwele labezizwe, NW; kanjalo uIsrayeli wonke uyakusindiswa.”
Ingabe uPawulu wayebikezela ukuphenduka kwamaJuda amaningi esikhathini esizayo? Lokho kwakungaba kanjani njalo, ngoba yena ngokwakhe wabonisa ukuthi insali yamaJuda kuphela eyayizokwamukela uKristu? (Roma 11:5) Kuyiqiniso, uPawulu washo ukuthi amaJuda ayeyokwehlelwa “ngubulukhuni” obungokomoya kuze kuthi “inani eligcwele” labeZizwe lingene ebandleni lobuKristu.”a Nokho, isazi sesiGreki uRichard Lenski sibonisa ukuthi lapha igama elithi “kuze” alisho ngempela ukuphenduka okuthile kwamuva. (Qhathanisa ukusetshenziswa kwelithi “kwaze” noma “ngize” kuzEnzo 7:17, 18 nakusAmbulo 2:25.) Eqinisweni uPawulu uthi ukuzwa kwamaJuda emvelo kwakuyohlala ‘kulukhuni’ kwehle kuze kube sekupheleni. Nokho, uNkulunkulu ngokuhlakanipha uphelelisa “inani eligcwele” likaIsrayeli ongokomoya (144 000) ngokungenisa abeZizwe abakholwayo ebandleni lobuKristu. “Kanjalo [hhayi ngokushintsha kwenhliziyo yesizwe samaJuda] uIsrayeli [ongokomoya] wonke uyakusindiswa.”
Ukuhlala EZweni Lesithembiso—“Kuze Kube-Phakade”?
Nokho, kuthiwani ngezwe lapho uMbuso wakwaIsrayeli umi khona? Ingabe uNkulunkulu unesithakazelo esithile esikhethekile kulo? Abaningi, njengesazi senkolo samaProthestani uWilliam Hurst, bacabanga kanjalo. UHurst wathi: “Akukho ngxenye yezwe ebusweni bomhlaba eye yafunwa kakhulu noma yanakwa imiphakathi yezizwe njengoba kunjalo ngezwe lamaJuda.” Ecaphuna uGenesise 13:14, 15, usikhumbuza ukuthi uNkulunkulu wathembisa ukuthi wayeyonikeza inzalo ka-Abrahama lelizwe “kuze kube-phakade.”
Ingabe uJehova uNkulunkulu ngalokho uphoqekile ukuba avikele izwe lakwaIsrayeli ekuhlaselweni? Uma kunjalo, “iArmagedoni” yaseMpumalanga Ephakathi kungenzeka iyasondela. Nokho, uNkulunkulu wamane watshela uAbrahama ukuthi inzalo yakhe yayizohlala kulelizwe, hhayi kuze kube-phakade, kodwa kuze kube inkathi yesikhathi “enganqunyiwe.”b (Genesise 13:14, 15, NW) Ngokwenqaba uJesu Kristu, balahlekelwa yiwo wonke amalungelo kulelozwe—nesivikelo sikaNkulunkulu.
IArmagedoni—Kuphi?
KusAmbulo 16:14, 16 iBhayibheli libonisa ukuthi iwawa eliphefumlelwe amademoni liyoholela abaholi bezwe “ekulweni kosuku olukhulu lukaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke.” Liyanezela: “Wayesebahlanganisela endaweni ethiwa ngesiHeberu iHarmagedoni.” Ingabe lokhu akubonisi yini impi yokugcina eMpumalanga Ephakathi? Cha, ngoba akukho ndawo yomhlaba ebizwa ngokuthi “iHarmagedoni” (ngokoqobo, “iNtaba YaseMegiddo”) ekhona ngempela. Ngezikhathi zeBhayibheli, kwakukhona umuzi waseMpumalanga Ephakathi obizwa ngokuthi iMegiddo. Wawusesigodini esiboniswe ekhasini elingaphandle lalomagazini. Eduze neMegiddo kwalwiwa izimpi ezibalulekile. Kodwa kwakungekho ntaba lapho, futhi namanje ayikho. Ngakho-ke “iHarmagedoni,” noma “iArmagedoni,” kumelwe kube indawo engokomfanekiso. Efanekiselani?
Isiprofetho sikaHezekeli sibonisa ukuthi iArmagedoni isuswa ukuhlasela kwebutho lezizwe eziningi phezu ‘kukaIsrayeli.’ Labahlaseli baholwa ‘uGogi wakwamaGogi,’ omabutho akhe ashanela “evela ekugcineni kwasenyakatho.” Ungubani ‘loGogi’? Isazi senkolo sabathatha izinto njengoba zinjalo uHal Lindsey simemezela ngokuqiniseka (njengoba kwenza abanye): “Kunesizwe esisodwa kuphela ‘esisekugcineni kwasenyakatho’ nelakwaIsrayeli—iU.S.S.R.” Kanjalo ucabanga ukuthi labo abenza “impi” kaGogi (okuthiwa oMesheke, uThubali, iPheresiya, iKhushe, noPhuthi, iGomere, noThogarma eBhayibhelini) kuyoba abangane beSoviet, ngokuyinhloko izizwe zama-Arabhu.—Hezekeli 38:1-9, 15.
Nokho, izizwe ezibalwe njengabalekeleli bakamaGogi, zazingavelele ngokukhethekile emhlabeni ngosuku lukaHezekeli. Kanjalo ukugcwaliseka kwalesiprofetho kwakuyokwenzeka “ngeminyaka yokugcina,” lapho izitha zikaIsrayeli ezivamile sezidlulile emhlabeni. (Hezekeli 38:8) Ngakho-ke, “izwe likaMagogi” elingaziwa nelingenakufinyelelwa alinakufanekisela iSoviet Union evelele, nengeyona neze engenakufinyelelwa.
Khona-ke, ubani ohlala ezweni ‘elisekugcineni’ onenzondo yonya kubantu bakaNkulunkulu? KusAmbulo 12:7-9, 17, iBhayibheli liyaphendula: “Kwase kuba-khona ukulwa ezulwini, uMikayeli nezingelosi zakhe balwa nodrako. . . . Wayesephonswa phansi udrako omkhulu inyoka endala ethiwa uMhlebi noSathane.” Wasabela kanjani uSathane ekukhishweni kwakhe ezulwini elahlelwa kulendawo yomoya eyonakele? IBhayibheli lithi: “Udrako wamthukuthelela owesifazane [inhlangano kaNkulunkulu yasezulwini], wamuka, wayokulwa nabaseleyo benzalo yakhe, labo abagcina imiyalo kaNkulunkulu nabanobufakazi bukaJesu.”
Ngakho-ke, uSathane, ‘unguGogi.’ Sekungamashumi eminyaka, uSathane noquqaba lwamademoni akhe belwa nensali kaIsrayeli ongokomoya—ibandla lobuKristu eligcotshiwe. (Galathiya 6:16) LamaKristu asakazeke emhlabeni wonke; awekho endaweni ethile eyinhloko engase ihlaselwe inhlangano yamabutho aseMpumalanga Ephakathi. Kodwa njengoba uHezekeli aprofetha, “bahlala belondekile” ngaphansi kwesivikelo sikaNkulunkulu. (Hezekeli 38:11) UIsrayeli wemvelo wosuku lwanamuhla, ozungezwe omakhelwane abanonya nophethwe izinkinga zangaphakathi ngokombangazwe nakwezokuhlalisana, ‘akahlali neze elondekile.’
Nokho, iBhayibheli libonisa ukuthi umhlaba uyoba noshintsho olukhulu. “IBabiloni Elikhulu,” umbuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga, uyobhujiswa ngokushesha. (IsAmbulo, isahluko 18) Ngokuwa kwenkolo yamanga, amaKristu eqiniso asele ayobonakala eyizisulu, futhi uSathane, noma “uGogi,” ngeke akwazi ukuzibamba esifisweni sokuwabhubhisa. Uyokwenza ukuba ngaphansi kwethonya lobudemoni ‘amakhosi ezwe lonke’ abuthelwe ndawonye “ekulweni kosuku olukhulu lukaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke” eHarmagedoni.—Hezekeli 38:12-16; IsAmbulo 16:14, 16.
Ngakho-ke, “iHarmagedoni” ayiyona indawo ethile encane eMpumalanga Ephakathi. Kunalokho, iyisimo sezwe. Izwe lonke liyohlangana ekulweni noJehova uNkulunkulu noFakazi baKhe. (Isaya 43:10-12) Kuwukuhlasela kukaSathane okunonya phezu kwamaKristu eqiniso—akuyona impi phakathi kwezizwe endaweni yaseMpumalanga Ephakathi—okuqhubezela uNkulunkulu ukuba alwe avikele abantu baKhe!—Hezekeli 38:18-23; Zakariya 2:8.
Ngakho-ke amaKristu eqiniso namuhla enza okungaphezu kokubheka ngokungenzi lutho eMpumalanga Ephakathi. Ukukhathalela kwawo okuyinhloko kuwukuqondisa abantu kulokho iZwi likaNkulunkulu elikushoyo ngempela ngalempi ezayo. OFakazi BakaJehova baye baziwa emhlabeni wonke ngokuyisa lesigijimi emakhaya abantu ngokungesabi. Nokho, ungase uzibuze ukuthi kungani uNkulunkulu wothando engaletha impi enjalo. Ingabe kungenzeka ukusinda kuyo? Omagazini bethu ababili abalandelayo beNqabayokulinda bayophendula yona kanye lemibuzo.
[Imibhalo yaphansi]
a Izinkolo zeLobukholwa ziyahluleka ukuqaphela ukuthi inani eliqondile, elembulwe eBhayibhelini ukuthi liyizi-144 000, lihlanganisa uIsrayeli ongokomoya. (IsAmbulo 7:4) Ngenxa yalokho, abanye benza isiphetho esiyiphutha sokuthi uPawulu wabikezela ukuphenduka kwabantu abaningi kwakho kokubili amaJuda “nalo lonke izwe lobuhedeni.” (The Jerusalem Bible) Nokho, umfanekiso kaPawulu womnqumo kumaRoma, isahluko 11, awusho lutho uma lingekho inani eliqondile elihilelekile.
b Nakuba igama lesiHeberu elithi ‘oh·lam abanye belihumusha ngokuthi “kuze kube phakade,” ngokwesazi sesiHeberu uWilliam Gesenius, lisho “isikhathi esifihlekile, okungukuthi esingaziwa neside, esisiqalo saso noma isiphelo asiqinisekile noma asinqunyiwe.” INelson’s Expository Dictionary of the Old Testament iyanezela: “Uma linesihlanganiso esithi ‘ad, leligama lingasho ukuthi ‘esikhathini esizayo esinganqunyiwe.’”—Qhathanisa noDuteronomi 23:3; 1 Samuweli 1:22, NW.
[Isithombe ekhasini 5]
Ingabe izehlakalo zamanje eMpumalanga Ephakathi zandulela iArmagedoni?
[Isithombe ekhasini 6]
Ingabe iJerusalema liyisihluthulelo sezehlakalo eziholela eArmagedon?