IMegido—Inkundla Yempi Yakudala Enencazelo Engokwesiprofetho

“MAZIBHUBHE kanjalo zonke izitha zakho, Jehova.” Laphetha kanjalo ihubo lokunqoba elaliqanjwe eminyakeni engaphezu kwamakhulu angama-32 edlule. Lalidumisa ukunqoba kwempi eduze komuzi wakudala waseMegido.

Ngokulandisa kweBhayibheli, uMahluleli uBaraki wakwa-Israyeli wayalwa nguNkulunkulu ukuba amise amadoda ahlomile ayizi-10 000 eNtabeni iThabori. Ingabe liyinani elihlaba umxhwele? Mhlawumbe. Kodwa ngokudabukisayo la mabutho okuzithandela ayizi-10 000 ayengahlomile ngokwanele. “Akubonakalanga sihlangu, namkhonto.” (AbAhluleli 5:8, NW) Nokho, kwakungenjalo ngezitha. Iholwa uJenene Sisera, impi yamaKhanani yayihlome ngezikhali zempi zamuva: ‘Izinqola ezingamakhulu ayisishiyagalolunye zensimbi.’ (AbAhluleli 4:3) Lezi zanikeza amaKhanani ijubane namasu okuhlasela kanye nosizo olukhulu ngokwengqondo.

Nokho, ukunqoba kwakungeke kube umphumela wobuqhawe bempi nobuningi bezikhali. Iviyo likaSisera eliseqophelweni eliphezulu layengelwa emfudlaneni iKishoni ngalesosikhathi owawomile. UJehova wanikeza uBaraki isibonakaliso sokuba ehle. Cabanga nje ngamadoda ayizi-10 000 ehla entabeni ehlela ethafeni lesigodi! Kodwa ngaleso sikhathi, ngokungazelele, uJehova wabangela ukuduma kwezulu. Umoya nemvula manje kwagadla ebusweni bezitha. UMfudlana iKishoni waphenduka izikhukhula ezinamandla, wenza izinqola zempi zikaSisera zabisha odakeni oluningi. Exakekile, amabutho kaSisera abaleka ngokwesaba, kepha ajahwa futhi abulawa. “Akwasala-muntu.”—AbAhluleli, isahluko 4 no-5.

Akumangalisi ukuthi lokhu kunqoba okuhle kangaka kwashukumisela la mazwi: “Mazibhubhe kanjalo zonke izitha zakho, Jehova; kepha abamthandayo mababe njengelanga, lapho liphuma ngamandla alo.” (AbAhluleli 5:31) Nokho, phawula igama elithi “kanjalo.” Lasikisela ukuthi impi yayingokwesiprofetho, likhomba phambili empini enkulu okuyobhubha kuyo zonke izitha zikaJehova.

Nokho, izizwe ezinonya ezazizungeze uIsrayeli zayikhohlwa masinyane leyompi echithayo. Ngemva kweminyaka engama-47 kuphela, inhlanganisela yezizwe ezazingaphansi kokuhola kwabakwaMidiyani ‘zabuthana zonke . . . zamisa esiGodini saseJizreyeli,’ isigodi esasisuka eMegido. (AbAhluleli 6:33) Lezitha ezazimise amakamu ‘zazinjengesikhonyane ngobuningi.’ Nokho, ngaleso sikhathi impi yakwa-Israyeli yayiyibutho elincane kodwa elinesibindi lamadoda angama-300, ‘wonke ayehaqe ikamu’ eholwa nguGideyoni. Lapho esehlabe umkhosi, abangama-300 babetha amacilongo, baphohloza izitsha, baphakamisa izimbaqa, futhi bamemeza ngesiqubulo sempi esesabekayo bethi: “Inkemba kaJehova nekaGideyoni.” AbakwaMidiyani bangenwa ingebhe! “UJehova wabekisa inkemba yalowo nalowo ngakumngane wakhe,” futhi ibutho elincane likaGideyoni laqeda leso sixuku!—AbAhluleli, isahluko 7.

Nathi namuhla asilokothi senze iphutha labakwaMidiyani noma singakunaki ukubaluleka kweMegido. IBhayibheli likhuluma ngalenkundla yempi yakudala cishe izikhathi eziyi-12. Futhi, isiprofetho seBhayibheli sibonisa ukuthi okwenzeka eMegido kusho okuthile okungathi sína ngosuku lwethu. Ngakho-ke ake sibheke lokho kokubili iBhayibheli nolwazi lwemivubukulo okukushoyo ngalendawo engokomlando.

Inhlanganandlela Yezwe Lakudala

IMegido, kanye nemizi yaseHasori, naseGezeri, yake yabusa indlela yezempi enkulu neyezentengiselwano eyayihlanganisa izwe laseAsiya nelaseAfrika. IMegido yayiphakathi kwalemizi emibili ngakho-ke iyona eyayisendaweni enhle ngokwezempi. Nxazonke amasango emvelo, izintuba zezintaba, nemigwaqo kwakuhlangana esigodini sayo. “IMegido” kuchaza iThe Geography of the Bible “yayisenhlanganandlela, eqinisweni kwenye yezinhlanganandlela ezinkulu zezwe lakudala.”

IMegido yayibusa isigodi esikhulu esasingamakhilomitha angama-32 ukuya ohlangothini olusenyakatho-mpumalanga yezintaba zaseKarmeli. Phakathi nobusika obunemvula, amanzi ehla ezintabeni ezisizungezile ayebangela uMfula iKishoni oseduze naso ukuba ugcwale. Kanjalo isifunda sibizwa futhi ngokuthi “umfudlana iKishoni.” (AbAhluleli 4:13) Incwadi ethi Geography of Israel ithi: “Ngezimvula zasebusika” inhlabathi yesigodi “kuyenzeka iphenduke ubishi. . . . Ukuphakama kwe[K]ishoni kuncane kakhulu, nesizalo, . . . sivaleka kalula; kanjalo amaxhaphozi ayanda lapha.” USisera nempi yakhe babona ukuthi lesigodi sasingaba udaka kangakanani. Nokho, ehlobo elomisile, lesigodi esivulekile, sasiyindawo enhle yokuqeqeshela izinqola zempi. (Qhathanisa nesiHlabelelo seziHlabelelo 6:11, 12). Futhi amabutho empi ayengahlangana kahle lapho.

Akumangalisi-ke, ukuthi kungani iNkosi uSolomoni yathatha izinyathelo zokwenzela iMegido ugange: “Indaba yezisebenzi ezazibizwa yinkosi uSolomoni ukwakha . . . nogange lwaseJerusalema, neHasori, neMegido, neGezeri inje.” (1 AmaKhosi 9:15) Igquma eliphakeme ngamamitha angama-21, elengame isigodi esibanzi, esivulekile, manje liphawula indawo lapho iMegido yake yaba khona. Ezikhathini zakudala, izakhiwo ezintsha zazivame ukwakhiwa phezu kwezindala ezasezidilikile. Ngakho-ke ukubonakala kwesakhiwo ngasinye kungase kuphawule isikhathi esithile emlandweni. Umvubukuli, eqala phezulu, umba ashone edlula imikhakha ngemikhakha yomlando. Okungenani engama-20 yaleyomikhakha yafunyanwa eMegido, ibonisa ukuthi umuzi wavuselelwa izikhathi eziningi. Futhi iBhayibheli liye labasiza kanjani labavubukuli ababekezelayo?

Ukwakha amasango omuzi ngokungangabazeki kwakuyingxenye esemqoka emgomweni kaSolomoni wokwakha izingange zeMegido, iHasori, neGezeri. Esikhathini esidlule amasango anjalo atholakala eMegido. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho amasango ohlobo olufanayo atholakala eHasori. Ngakho, bethatha umkhondo eBhayibhelini, abavubukuli baqala ukufuna naseGezeri. Njengoba kwakulindelekile, amasango alolohlobo atholakala nalapho futhi. Kubonisani lokhu kubafundi beBhayibheli? Umvubukuli odumile, uProfesa Yohanan Aharoni, uyalandisa:

“Ekuvubukuleni okwenziwa ezindaweni ezintathu, amasango aklanywe ngokufanayo atholakala emkhakheni wekhulu leshumi B.C.E. . . . Amasango anjengalawo, anezindlu zabalindi ezintathu namaqoqo amane ezinsika ohlangothini ngalunye lwendlela, kuze kube manje asatholakale ezindaweni ezimbili kuphela. . . . Ngakho-ke, cishe kunokuvumelana okuphelele phakathi kwezazi ngokuthi amasango anamakamelo amathathu aseHasori, eMegido, naseGezeri angawesikhathi sokubusa kukaSolomoni.”

UDr. Yigael Yadin uphetha ngokufanayo: “Ukutholakala kwezingange zikaSolomoni eHasori, eMegido, naseGezeri kuyisibonelo esifundisayo sokuthi iBhayibheli lingumqondisi obalulekile nowusizo kanjani kubavubukuli.”

Inkundla Yempi Engumnqamulajuqu

Ngenxa yendawo yaseMegido eyayiyifanelekela kahle impi, ngokuqondakala kahle iye yahlanganiswa nomqondo wenkundla yempi ekuqaleni emlandweni. Eqinisweni, igama lakudala lesiHeberu elithi “Megido” kuthiwa lisho “indawo yokuhlangana, noma umhlangano wamabutho.” UProfesa Aharoni wabhala:

“IMegido yayiwumuzi onogange olubaluleke kakhulu naphezu kweqiniso lokuthi ayiphathwanga emithonjeni engokomlando kwaze kwaba sekhulwini leshumi nanhlanu B.C. Ngaleso sikhathi yabonakala emibhalweni kaThutmose III. Umlando ohlelwe ngokulandelana kweminyaka walenkosi enonya ubonisa ukuthi iMegido yahola inhlangano yabavukeli basemzini waseKhanani. . . . Ibutho laseGibithe nezinqola zempi zamaKhanani zalwa impi engumnqamulajuqu yalokhu kuhlubuka . . . eduze kwaseMegido. Lokhu ukubambana kwakudala impela kwempi okunemininingwane egciniwe. Ngemva kokuqothula ngokuphelele ibutho lamaKhanani enkundleni, uFaro wathumba impango ecebileyo, kuhlanganise nezinqola zempi ezingama-924!”

UDr. Zev Vilnay, umlobi weThe New Israel Atlas, uqhubeka echaza isigodi ngokuthi “inkundla yezimpi ezidumile kusukela ekuqaleni komlando kuze kube iMpi Yezwe I.”

IMegido—Ingabe Iyinkundla Yempi Yokugcina?

Incwadi yokugcina yeBhayibheli, isAmbulo, ibhala umbono ‘wamakhosi ezwe lonke’ ehlanganiselwa “ekulweni kosuku olukhulu lukaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke” “eHarmagedoni” [“INtaba YaseMegido”], noma iArmagedoni. (IsAmbulo 16:14, 16) Ngenxa yokufana kwamagama, abanye baye baphetha ngokuthi lempi izolwelwa endaweni engokoqobo yaseMegido. Nokho, igquma laseMegido alikufanelekele nakancane ukuba “yintaba.” Cabangela lokhu futhi: Ingabe isigodi saseMegido sikhulu ngokwanele ukuba sigcwale bonke ababusi bezwe kuhlanganise namabutho abo amaningi nezikhali eziningi zempi? “Lolu ulimi olungokwesiprofetho,” i-International Standard Bible Encyclopedia iyasitshela, “futhi kungenzeka ukuthi iHarmagedoni ayisetshenziswa njengegama lendawo ethile kodwa njengegama elingokomfanekiso lempi yokugcina engumnqamulajuqu.”

Iyini-ke, “iHarmagedoni”? Ngokusobala ingokomfanekiso. Sidonsela ukunakekela emlandweni weMegido njengenkundla yezimpi ezingumnqamulajuqu, isAmbulo siyisebenzisela ukubonisa isimo esizayo lapho ukuzondwa kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu “izizwe zonke” kuyofinyelela umvuthwandaba. (Mathewu 24:9, 14) Ngenxa yokuba amaKristu eqiniso eqhubeka ngokwethembeka, esekela uMbuso kaNkulunkulu, ababusi bomhlaba bayohlangana, futhi ngokomphumela “bahlanganele” ukuwabhubhisa. Nokho, oFakazi BakaJehova ngeke baphindisele. (Isaya 2:1-4) UNkulunkulu uye wamisa uMbusi wabo, iNkosi uJesu Kristu, ukuba abalwele. Esikhathini esibucayi leNkosi yasezulwini ikanye ‘namabutho asezulwini’ iyongenela futhi ihlasele ‘amakhosi omhlaba namabutho awo.’ Lempi yezwe lonke iyoba umnqamulajuqu, njengalezo ezazilwiwa eMegido. Zonke izitha zasemhlabeni ‘ziyobhubha’ njengoba kwaprofetha ngisho nehubo lokunqoba likaDebora noBaraki!—IsAmbulo 19:11-21; AbAhluleli 5:31.

Ingabe uyotholakala phakathi kwabathanda uJehova—noma phakathi kwezitha zakhe? IBhayibheli likwenza kucace ukuthi labo abangaluthathi uhlangothi lukaJehova nabantu bakhe basengozini yangempela yokulahlekelwa ukuphila. (Zefaniya 2:3; 2 Thesalonika 1:7-9) Ngakho-ke, asisekho isikhathi sokulibala! “Bheka! Ngiyeza njengesela,” kuxwayisa uJesu Kristu okhazinyulisiwe ebhekisele ikakhulukazi emvuthwandabeni ‘wosizi olukhulu’ eHarmagedoni.—IsAmbulo 16:15; Mathewu 24:21.

‘Impi yosuku olukhulu lukaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke’ iyoba nomphumela okhazimulayo. Iyovulela uMbuso kaNkulunkulu indlela yokuguqula lomhlaba ube ipharadesi. (Mathewu 6:9, 10; IsAmbulo 21:3-5) Kodwa okwedlula konke, iyolwela igama elikhulu kunawo wonke emhlabeni ngokugcwaliseka okuhle komthandazo wakudala ongokwesiprofetho:

“Yenza kubo njengakuMidiyani, nakuSisera, nakuJabini ngasemfuleni iKishoni. . . . Baxoshe kanjalo ngesivunguvungu sakho, ubethuse ngesiphepho sakho. Thela ubuso babo ngehlazo, baze bafune igama lakho, Jehova. Mabahlakazeke, baphele amandla kuze kube phakade; mabahluleke, babhubhe, bazi ukuthi nguwe wedwa ogama lakho linguJehova; ungoPhezukonke emhlabeni wonke.”—IHubo 83:9, 15-18.

[Amabalazwe ekhasini 22]

(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani bheka encwadini)

IMegido, yabusa enye yezindlela ezinkulu zezempi nezezentengiselwano ezihlanganisa izwekazi laseAsiya nelaseAfrika

Izindlela Zezohwebo-------

Hazor

Megiddo

Gezer

Jerusalem

[Ibalazwe]

ASIA

AFRICA

[Isithombe ekhasini 23]

Impi yomhlaba wonke yeHarmagedoni iyoba ngumnqamulajuqu, njengezimpi ezazilwiwa eMegido. Zonke izitha zikaNkulunkulu ziyobhubha