I-Armagedoni Iyisiqalo Esijabulisayo

IGAMA elithi “Armagedoni” lisuka kwelesiHebheru elithi “Har–Magedon,” noma “iNtaba YaseMegido.” Litholakala encwadini yesAmbulo 16:16, ethi: “Zawabuthela ndawonye endaweni ngesiHebheru ebizwa ngokuthi iHar-​Magedoni.” Obani ababuthelwa e-Armagedoni, futhi ngani? Emavesini amabili ngaphambili, kusAmbulo 16:14, siyafunda: “[Amakhosi] omhlaba wonke owakhiwe” abuthelwa ndawonye “empini yosuku olukhulu lukaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke.” Kulindelekile ukuba la mazwi abangele eminye futhi imibuzo ethakazelisayo. La ‘makhosi’ alwelaphi? Alwelani, elwa nobani? Ingabe ayosebenzisa izikhali zembubhiso, njengoba abaningi becabanga kanjalo? Bakhona yini abayosinda e-Armagedoni? Vumela iBhayibheli liphendule.

Njengoba kukhulunywa ‘ngeNtaba YaseMegido,’ ingabe kusho ukuthi i-Armagedoni iyolwelwa entabeni ethile eseMpumalanga Ephakathi? Cha. Okokuqala, ayikho intaba enjalo—emanxiweni eMegido yasendulo, kukhona nje igquma eliphakeme ngamamitha angaba ngu-20 ngaphezu kwesigodi esiyithafa esiseduze. Ngaphezu kwalokho, akunakwenzeka ukuba wonke “amakhosi omhlaba namabutho awo” anele endaweni yaseMegido. (IsAmbulo 19:19) Nokho, eMegido kwalwiwa ezinye zezimpi ezishisa kunazo zonke neziwumnqamula-juqu emlandweni weMpumalanga Ephakathi. Ngakho, igama elithi Armagedoni limelela impi ewumnqamula-juqu, enomnqobi oyedwa kuphela osobala.—Bheka ibhokisi elithi “IMegido—Uphawu Olufanelekayo,” ekhasini 5.

I-Armagedoni ayinakuba nje impi yezizwe zomhlaba, ngoba isAmbulo 16:14 sithi ‘amakhosi omhlaba wonke owakhiwe’ akha umfela-ndawonye “empini yosuku olukhulu lukaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke.” Esiprofethweni sakhe esiphefumulelwe, uJeremiya wathi “ababulewe nguJehova” bayosakazeka ‘kusukela komunye umkhawulo womhlaba kuze kube komunye umkhawulo womhlaba.’ (Jeremiya 25:33) Ngakho, i-Armagedoni ayiyona impi yabantu elwelwa endaweni ethile eMpumalanga Ephakathi. Yimpi kaJehova, futhi ithinta wonke umhlaba.

Nokho, phawula ukuthi isAmbulo 16:16 sibiza i-Armagedoni ‘ngendawo.’ EBhayibhelini, elithi “indawo” lingasho isimo—kulokhu, isimo sokubumbana komhlaba wonke ukuze ulwe noJehova. (IsAmbulo 12:6, 14) E-Armagedoni zonke izizwe zomhlaba ziyahlangana zilwe ‘namabutho asezulwini’ aholwa “iNkosi yamakhosi noMbusi wababusi,” uJesu Kristu.—IsAmbulo 19:14, 16.

Kuthiwani ngezinkulumo ezithi i-Armagedoni iyoba ukuqothulwa kwesintu ngezikhali zembubhiso noma ukushayisana komhlaba nendikimba esemkhathini? Ingabe uNkulunkulu onothando ubengavuma ukuba isintu nekhaya laso elingumhlaba kuphele ngendlela esabeka kanjalo? Cha. Usho ngokucacile ukuthi akawudalelanga “ize” umhlaba, kodwa “wawubumba ukuze uhlalwe.” (Isaya 45:18; IHubo 96:10) E-Armagedoni, uJehova ngeke abhubhise umhlaba wethu ngokuwushisa ngomlilo. Kunalokho, ‘uyochitha abachitha umhlaba.’—IsAmbulo 11:18.

Iyofika Nini I-Armagedoni?

Phakathi namakhulu eminyaka, bekulokhu kunombuzo obalulekile owenza abantu bangaqedi ukuqagela othi, Iyofika nini i-Armagedoni? Ukuhlola incwadi yesAmbulo sicabangela nezinye izingxenye zeBhayibheli kungasisiza sibone isikhathi sale mpi esemqoka. IsAmbulo 16:15 sihlobanisa i-Armagedoni nokufika kukaJesu njengesela. NoJesu wasebenzisa lowo mfanekiso lapho echaza ukufika kwakhe ezokwahlulela lesi simiso sezinto.—Mathewu 24:43, 44; 1 Thesalonika 5:2.

Ukugcwaliseka kweziprofetho zeBhayibheli kubonisa ukuthi kusukela ngo-1914 besilokhu siphila ezinsukwini zokugcina zalesi simiso sezinto.a Engxenyeni yokugcina yalezi zinsuku zokugcina kuyoba nenkathi uJesu ayibiza ngokuthi “usizi olukhulu.” IBhayibheli alisho ukuthi iyoba yinde kangakanani leyo nkathi, kodwa izinsizi ezihlobene nayo ziyoba zimbi kunanoma yini izwe elake layibona. Lolo sizi olukhulu luyofinyelela umvuthwandaba e-Armagedoni.—Mathewu 24:21, 29.

Njengoba i-Armagedoni ‘iyimpi yosuku olukhulu lukaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke,’ akukho lutho abantu abangalwenza ukuze bayihlehlise. UJehova ‘unesikhathi esimisiwe’ sokuqala kwaleyo mpi. ‘Ngeke yephuze.’—Habakuki 2:3.

UNkulunkulu Wokulunga Ulwa Impi Yobulungisa

Nokho, yini engenza uNkulunkulu alwe impi yomhlaba wonke? I-Armagedoni ihlobene eduze nenye yezimfanelo zakhe eziyinhloko, ubulungisa. IBhayibheli lithi: “UJehova ungumthandi wobulungisa.” (IHubo 37:28) Uzibone zonke izenzo zokungabi nabulungisa ezenziwe emlandweni wesintu. Lokhu kumvusela intukuthelo efanele. Ngakho, umise iNdodana yakhe ukuba ilwe impi yobulungisa ukuze asisuse sonke lesi simiso esibi.

NguJehova kuphela okwazi ukulwa impi yobulungisa ngempela futhi engeke ichaphazele abangenacala, impi okuyolondolozwa kuyo abantu abanhliziyo zilungile, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi bakuphi emhlabeni. (Mathewu 24:40, 41; IsAmbulo 7:9, 10, 13, 14) Futhi nguye yedwa onelungelo lokumisa ubukhosi bakhe phezu kwawo wonke umhlaba, ngoba wadalwa nguye.—IsAmbulo 4:11.

UJehova uyosebenzisani lapho ebhubhisa izitha zakhe? Asazi. Esikwaziyo ukuthi unazo izindlela zokuziqothula nya izizwe ezimbi. (Jobe 38:22, 23; Zefaniya 1:15-18) Nokho, abakhulekeli bakaNkulunkulu basemhlabeni ngeke balwe kule mpi. Umbono okusAmbulo isahluko 19 ubonisa ukuthi amabutho asezulwini noJesu Kristu yibona kuphela abayokulwa kule mpi. Ayikho inceku kaJehova engumKristu esemhlabeni eyokulwa.—2 IziKronike 20:15, 17.

UNkulunkulu Wokuhlakanipha Unikeza Isikhathi Esanele Sesixwayiso

Bakhona yini abayosinda? Yebo, sonke singasinda e-Armagedoni. Umphostoli uPetru wathi: “UJehova . . . akafisi ukuba kubhubhe namunye kodwa ufisa ukuba bonke baphenduke.” (2 Petru 3:9) Futhi umphostoli uPawulu wathi ‘intando kaNkulunkulu iwukuba zonke izinhlobo zabantu zisindiswe futhi zifinyelele olwazini olunembile lweqiniso.’—1 Thimothewu 2:4.

Ukuze lokho kwenzeke, ngokuhlakanipha uJehova uye waqiniseka ukuthi ‘izindaba ezinhle zombuso’ zimenyezelwa yonke indawo ngezilimi eziningi. Yonke indawo abantu banikwa ithuba lokusinda. (Mathewu 24:14; IHubo 37:34; Filipi 2:12) Labo abasabela kahle ezindabeni ezinhle bangasinda e-Armagedoni baphile phakade emhlabeni oyipharadesi bephelele. (Hezekeli 18:23, 32; Zefaniya 2:3; Roma 10:13) Lokhu akukhona yini lokho umuntu abengakulindela kuNkulunkulu oluthando?—1 Johane 4:8.

Kungenzeka Yini Ukuba UNkulunkulu Wothando Alwe?

Nokho, abaningi bazibuza ukuthi kungani uNkulunkulu oluthando uqobo lwalo engabulala futhi abhubhise iningi lesintu. Lokhu singakufanekisa ngendlu egcwele amaphela. Awuvumi yini ukuthi umninikhaya oqotho kufanele avikele impilo nenhlalakahle yomkhaya wakhe ngokuwasusa wonke lawo maphela?

Ngokufanayo, impi ye-Armagedoni iyolwiwa ngenxa yothando olukhulu uJehova analo ngabantu. Injongo kaNkulunkulu iwukwenza umhlaba ube ipharadesi nokwenza abantu baphelele futhi babe nokuthula, ‘kungabi khona obenza bathuthumele.’ (Mika 4:3, 4; IsAmbulo 21:4) Pho, yini okufanele yenziwe ngalabo abasongela ukuthula nokulondeka kwabanye abantu? UNkulunkulu kumelwe awasuse lawo “maphela”—abantu abangasenakuphenduka ebubini babo—ngenxa yabalungile.—2 Thesalonika 1:8, 9; IsAmbulo 21:8.

Izingxabano nokuchitheka kwegazi okuningi namuhla kubangelwa ukubusa kwabantu abangaphelele nokufuna kohulumeni ukuphakamisa izwe labo ngobugovu. (UmShumayeli 8:9) Bezama ukusabalalisa ithonya labo, ohulumeni babantu bawushaya indiva ngokuphelele uMbuso kaNkulunkulu omisiwe. Akukho zinkomba zokuthi bayohoxisa ubukhosi babo babunikele kuNkulunkulu noKristu. (IHubo 2:1-9) Ngakho, labo hulumeni abanjalo kumelwe basuswe, badedele ukubusa okulungile koMbuso kaJehova ophethwe uKristu. (Daniyeli 2:44) I-Armagedoni kumelwe ilwiwe ukuze impikiswano yokuthi ubani onelungelo lokubusa le planethi nesintu ixazululeke kube kanye.

Ukungenela kukaJehova e-Armagedoni kuyozuzisa isintu. Njengoba izimo zezwe ziba zimbi ngokwengeziwe, ukubusa kukaNkulunkulu okuphelele yikhona kuphela okuyozanelisa ngokuphelele izidingo zesintu. NguMbuso wakhe kuphela oyoletha ukuthula kweqiniso nokuchuma. Bezingaba njani izimo zezwe uma uNkulunkulu ebengathula unomphela angenzi lutho? Besingeke yini isintu siqhubeke sihlushwa inzondo, ubudlova nezimpi njengoba kuye kwasihlupha phakathi namakhulu eminyaka okubusa kwabantu? Impi ye-Armagedoni empeleni ingenye yezinto eziyosizuzisa kakhulu!—Luka 18:7, 8; 2 Petru 3:13.

Impi Yokuqeda Zonke Izimpi

I-Armagedoni iyofeza okuthile okungekho mpi eyake yakufeza—ukuqeda zonke izimpi. Ubani nje ongasilangazeleli isikhathi lapho zonke izimpi ziyobe zingasekho? Nokho, abantu bahlulekile ukuqeda izimpi. Ukuhluleka kwabantu ngokuphindaphindiwe emizamweni yokuqeda izimpi kumane kugcizelela ukuba yiqiniso kwamazwi kaJeremiya: “Ngazi kahle, Jehova, ukuthi indlela yomuntu wasemhlabeni akuyona eyakhe. Akukona okomuntu ohambayo ngisho nokuqondisa isinyathelo sakhe.” (Jeremiya 10:23) Mayelana nalokho uJehova ayokufeza, iBhayibheli liyathembisa: “Uqeda izimpi kuze kube semkhawulweni womhlaba. Umnsalo uyawuphula anqamule umkhonto ube yizicucu; izinqola uzishisa ngomlilo.”—IHubo 46:8, 9.

Njengoba izizwe zibulalana ngezikhali ezesabekayo futhi zisongela ukonakalisa imvelo, uMenzi womhlaba uzothatha isinyathelo—e-Armagedoni echazwa iBhayibheli! (IsAmbulo 11:18) Ngakho-ke, le mpi iyofeza lokho abantu abesaba uNkulunkulu asebenesikhathi eside bekulangazelela. Iyofakazela ukuthi uMnikazi womhlaba, uJehova uNkulunkulu, uyafaneleka ngempela ukubusa yonke indalo yakhe.

Ngakho, abantu abathanda ukulunga akufanele bayesabe i-Armagedoni. Kunalokho, inikeza isisekelo sethemba. Impi ye-Armagedoni iyohlanza umhlaba isuse konke ukukhohlakala nobubi, icabe indlela yesimiso esisha sezinto sokulunga esibuswa uMbuso kaNkulunkulu ophethwe uMesiya. (Isaya 11:4, 5) Kunokuba ibe isiphelo esiyinhlekelele esesabekayo, i-Armagedoni iyoba isiqalo esijabulisayo kubantu abalungile abayophila phakade emhlabeni oyipharadesi.—IHubo 37:29.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 5]

IMEGIDO—UPHAWU OLUFANELEKAYO

IMegido yasendulo yayisendaweni ekahle, yengame intshonalanga yesigodi esivundile saseJizreyeli, enyakatho no-Israyeli. Yayilawula imizila yokuhwebelana namanye amazwe neyezempi eyayiphambana lapho. Ngakho, iMegido yaba indawo yezimpi eziwumnqamula-juqu. Encwadini yakhe ethi Cities of the Biblical World—Megiddo, uProfesa Graham Davies uyabhala: “Umuzi waseMegido . . . wawufinyeleleka kalula kubahwebi nezihambi eziqhamuka ngakuzo zonke izindawo; kodwa ngesikhathi esifanayo, ukube wawunamandla ngokwanele, wawungalawula ukusetshenziswa kwale mizila, kanjalo uqondise kokubili ezohwebo nezempi. Ngakho-ke, akumangalisi ukuthi . . . wawuvame ukulwelwa futhi lapho usudliwe uvikelwe kakhulu.”

Umlando omude weMegido waqala ngenkulungwane yesibili B.C.E., lapho umbusi waseGibhithe uThutmose III enqoba ababusi baseKhanani kuyo. Waqhubeka phakathi namakhulu eminyaka kwaze kwaba ngo-1918 lapho uJenene Edmund Allenby waseBrithani enqoba kabuhlungu ibutho laseTurkey. KwakuseMegido lapho uNkulunkulu asiza khona uMahluleli uBharaki ukuba aceke amabutho enkosi yaseKhanani uJabini. (AbaHluleli 4:12-24; 5:19, 20) Kuyo leyo ndawo uMahluleli uGideyoni wangquzula abakwaMidiyani. (AbaHluleli 7:1-22) Kwakulapho futhi lapho iNkosi u-Ahaziya neNkosi uJosiya babulawelwa khona.—2 AmaKhosi 9:27; 23:29, 30.

Ngakho, kuyafaneleka ukuhlobanisa i-Armagedoni naleyo ndawo, ngoba kwalwelwa kuyo izimpi eziningi eziwumnqamula-juqu. Iwuphawu olufanelekayo lokuwanqoba kukaNkulunkulu ngokuphelele wonke amabutho aphikisana naye.

[Umthombo]

Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.

[Izithombe ekhasini 7]

Emhlabeni wonke, abantu banikwa isixwayiso nethuba lokusinda e-Armagedoni

[Isithombe ekhasini 7]

I-Armagedoni iyoba isiqalo esijabulisayo