1, 2. Yiphi impi enkulu esiyilindeleyo njalo lokho kwenza sizibuze yiphi imibuzo? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

 SEKULEMINYAKA leminyaka kuliwa izimpi emhlabeni futhi ziqede abantu abanengi kakhulu. Ngokwesibonelo empini yomhlaba yokuqala leyesibili kwafa amamiliyoni abantu. Kodwa kuza impi enkulu kulazo zonke ezake zaba khona. Impi le itshiyene lezinye izimpi ngoba kuyabe kungayisiyo ngxabano ephakathi kwamazwe abanga into ethile, kodwa kuyabe ‘kuyimpi yosuku olukhulu lukaNkulunkulu uSomandla.’ (Isam. 16:14) Okuzavusa impi le yikuthi isitha sikaNkulunkulu sizahlasela ilizwe lakhe eliligugu. Lokhu kuzakwenza ukuthi iNkosi Enkulu uJehova isebenzise amandla ayo okubhubhisa ngendlela engakaze iwasebenzise ngayo emhlabeni.

² Lokhu kwenza sizibuze ukuthi: Ngubani isitha leso? Sizahlasela liphi ilizwe? Kungani sizahlasela ilizwe lelo njalo lokhu sizakwenza nini futhi njani? Kumele sizazi izimpendulo zemibuzo le ngoba okuzakwenzakala kuzathinta thina esikhonza uJehova ngendlela ayifunayo. Izimpendulo lezi sizithola esiphrofethweni esibhalwe kuHezekheli isahluko 38 lo-39.

3. Landisa isiphrofetho sikaHezekheli esimayelana loGogi waseMagogi.

 ³ Bala uHezekheli 38:1, 2, 16, 18; 39:4, 11. Umphrofethi uHezekheli wabhala ukuthi “ngensuku zokucina” ‘uGogi waseMagogi,’ isitha sikaNkulunkulu uzahlasela “ilizwe” labantu bakaNkulunkulu ehlose ukubatshabalalisa. Wathi lokhu kuzakwenza uJehova avuke “ngolaka olwesabekayo,” alwe loGogi avikele abantu bakhe. a Uzathi esemnqobile uGogi labanye bakhe abenze babe “yikudla kwezinyamazana zeganga lazo zonke inyoni ezidla inyama.” Ekucineni uJehova uzanika uGogi “indawo azangcwatshwa kuyo.” Ukuze sizwisise ukuthi isiphrofetho lesi sizagcwaliseka njani, kumele siqale sazi ukuthi uGogi ngubani.

4. Kuyini esikufunda endimeni le mayelana loGogi waseMagogi?

⁴ Ngubani uGogi waseMagogi? Isiphrofetho sikaHezekheli sikwenza kucace ukuthi uGogi uyabazonda labo abakhonza uJehova. Lokhu sekusitsho ukuthi uGogi nguSathane yini njengoba eyisitha esikhulu sabantu bakaJehova? Okweminyaka eminengi amabhuku ethu abesitsho njalo. Kodwa ukuhlola isiphrofetho lesi esabhalwa nguHezekheli kwenze salungisisa indlela ebesisizwisisa ngayo. INqabayokulinda yachasisa ukuthi uGogi waseMagogi kasosidalwa somoya kodwa yizizwe ezimanyeneyo ezizahlasela abantu bakaNkulunkulu zifuna ukutshabalalisa ukukhonza kweqiniso. b Singakakhulumi ngokuthi kungani sisitsho njalo, kasiqaleni sihlolisise izinto ezimbili ezisesiphrofethweni sikaHezekheli ezitshengisa ukuthi uGogi kasosidalwa somoya.

5, 6. Isiphrofetho sikaHezekheli sikuveza njani ukuthi uGogi waseMagogi kayisiso sidalwa somoya?

⁵ ‘Ngizalenza libe yikudla kwazo zonke inyoni ezidla inyama.’ (Hez. 39:4) Izikhathi ezinengi eBhayibhilini nxa kukhulunywa ngenyoni ezidla inyama kuyabe kuxwayiswa abantu ngokuthi uJehova uzababhubhisa. UNkulunkulu wakhuluma ngenyoni lezi ezidla inyama ngesikhathi exwayisa isizwe sako-Israyeli kanye labanye abantu ababengayisiwo ma-Israyeli. (Dute. 28:26; Jer. 7:33; Hez. 29:3, 5) Nanzelela ukuthi lapha uJehova wayengakhulumi lezidalwa zomoya kodwa wayexwayisa abantu. Lokhu kulengqondo sibili ngoba izidalwa zomoya ngeke zidliwe zinyamazana zeganga loba zinyoni ezidla inyama. Ngakho isixwayiso lesi esisesiphrofethweni sikaHezekheli sitshengisa ukuthi uGogi kasosidalwa somoya.

⁶ “UGogi ngizamnika indawo azangcwatshwa kuyo ko-Israyeli.” (Hez. 39:11) EMibhalweni akulandawo lapho okukhulunywa khona ngokuthi izidalwa zomoya ziyangcwatshwa emhlabeni. Esikutshelwayo yikuthi uSathane lamadimoni akhe bazaphoselwa emgodini ongelamkhawulo, bahlale khona okweminyaka engu-1 000. Ngemva kwalokho bazaphoselwa echibini lomlilo lesalufa okutsho ukuthi bazatshabalaliswa bangaphindi babekhona. (Luk. 8:31; Isam. 20:1-3, 10) Njengoba kuthiwa uGogi uzaphiwa “indawo azangcwatshwa kuyo” emhlabeni, singaphetha ngokuthi uGogi kasosidalwa somoya.

7, 8. Okuzakwenzakala ‘enkosini yasenyakatho’ kuhambelana njani lokuzakwenzakala kuGogi waseMagogi?

 ⁷ Nxa kuyikuthi uGogi kasosidalwa somoya, manje ngubani isitha leso esizahlasela abantu bakaNkulunkulu sihlose ukubatshabalalisa? Kasikhulumeni ngeziphrofetho ezimbili ezizasinceda sazi ukuthi uGogi waseMagogi ngubani.

⁸ “Inkosi yasenyakatho.” (Bala uDanyeli 11:40-45.) UDanyeli wakhuluma ngemibuso elamandla eyayizakuba khona ngesikhathi sakhe kuze kube lamuhla. Esiphrofethweni leso wakhuluma langamakhosi amabili ayezabe elwisana, “inkosi yaseningizimu” kanye ‘lenkosi yenyakatho.’ Amakhosi la abelokhu etshintsha ngokuhamba kwesikhathi njengoba izizwe bezilokhu zilwela ukuba zingqwele emhlabeni. UDanyeli wathi ekhuluma ngokuhlasela kokucina okwakuzakwenziwa yinkosi yasenyakatho “ngesikhathi sokucina” wathi: “Izaphuma ithukuthele isidla amalahle ukuze itshaye ibhuqe njalo itshabalalise abanengi.” Inkosi yasenyakatho iqophe kakhulu abantu bakaNkulunkulu. c Kodwa njengoGogi waseMagogi, inkosi yasenyakatho layo izafika “esiphethweni sayo” ngemva kokwehluleka ukutshabalalisa abantu bakaNkulunkulu.

9. Okuzakwenzakala kuGogi waseMagogi kuhambelana njani lalokho okuzakwenzakala ‘emakhosini omhlaba’?

⁹ ‘Amakhosi omhlaba wonke.’ (Bala iSambulo 16:14, 16; 17:14; 19:19, 20.) Ibhuku leSambulo lithi ‘amakhosi omhlaba’ wonke azazama ukuhlasela ‘iNkosi yamakhosi,’ okutsho uJesu. Kodwa azakwehluleka ngoba uJesu usezulwini. Yikho azahlasela labo abasekela uMbuso wakhe emhlabeni. Amakhosi omhlaba azanqotshwa empini ye-Amagedoni. Lokhu kuhambelana lalokho okuzakwenzakala kuGogi waseMagogi. Amakhosi la lawo azatshabalala ngemva kokuzama ukuhlasela abantu bakaJehova. d

10. Ngubani uGogi waseMagogi?

¹⁰ Esesixoxe ngakho kwenza siphethe ngokuthi uGogi waseMagogi kasosidalwa somoya kodwa yizizwe ezizahlasela abantu bakaNkulunkulu esikhathini esiseduze. Kumele ukuthi izizwe lezi zizamanyana ukuze zenze lokhu. Phela abantu bakaNkulunkulu batholakala emhlabeni wonke, yikho ukuze izizwe lezi zenelise ukubahlasela kungelani lokuthi bangaphi kuzamele zimanyane. (Mat. 24:9) Lanxa izizwe lezi kuyizo ezizahlasela abantu bakaNkulunkulu, ungakhohlwa ukuthi uSathane nguye oyabe ezikhokhela. Sekulesikhathi eside etshotshozela izizwe ukuthi zihlasele abantu abakhonza uNkulunkulu ngendlela ayamukelayo. (1 Joh. 5:19; Isam. 12:17) Kodwa isiphrofetho sikaHezekheli esimayelana loGogi waseMagogi kasikhulumi ngoSathane. Sikhuluma ngalokho izizwe ezizakwenza nxa sezihlasela abantu bakaJehova. e

11. Isiphrofetho sikaHezekheli sithi linjani “ilizwe” elizahlaselwa nguGogi?

¹¹  Endimeni 3 sibonile ukuthi uGogi waseMagogi uzavusa ulaka lukaJehova olwesabekayo ngokuhlasela ilizwe eliligugu kuJehova. Yiliphi ilizwe lelo? Kasibuyeleni esiphrofethweni sikaHezekheli sizwe. (Bala uHezekheli 38:8-12.) Isiphrofetho leso sisitshela ukuthi  uGogi ‘uzahlasela ilizwe elilabantu abakhululwayo basebeqoqwa bevela ezizweni ezinengi.’ Kulokunye futhi okutshiwo yisiphrofetho sikaHezekheli mayelana labantu bakaJehova abakhululiweyo abahlala elizweni lelo. Sithi: ‘Bahlala bevikelekile ezigabeni ezingabiyelwanga ngemiduli lezingelamigoqo lamagedi futhi balokhu besiba lenotho enengi.’ Leli lilizwe elihlala abantu abakhonza uJehova ngendlela ayifunayo. Sikwazi njani lokho?

12. Yikuphi ukuvuselelwa okwenzakala elizweni lako-Israyeli?

¹² Okungasinceda yikuhlolisisa okwenzakala elizweni lako-Israyeli. Abantu bakaNkulunkulu bahlala elizweni lelo okweminyaka eminengi bemkhonza. Kodwa bathi sebemhlamukele, wathuma uHezekheli ukuthi abatshele ukuthi ilizwe labo lalizatshabalaliswa lisale lingamanxiwa. (Hez. 33:27-29) Lanxa kunjalo uJehova waphinda watsho ukuthi kwakulabantu bakhe ababezazisola ngalokho ababekwenzile. Abantu laba yibo ababezabuyela elizweni labo bevela eBhabhiloni bayevuselela ukukhonza kweqiniso. UJehova wayezalibusisa ilizwe lako-Israyeli, litshintshe libe lihle ‘njengensimu yase-Edeni.’ (Hez. 36:34-36) Lokhu kwenzakala sibili ngoba ngo-537 B.C.E. amaJuda abuyela eJerusalema ukuze ayevuselela ukukhonza kweqiniso elizweni lawo ayelithanda.

13, 14. (a) Kutshoni ukuthi abantu bakaNkulunkulu baselizweni elihle? (b) Kungani ilizwe lelo liligugu kuJehova?

¹³ Langesikhathi sethu ukukhonza kweqiniso kuvuselelwe. Njengoba sibonile eSahlukweni 9 sebhuku leli, abantu bakaNkulunkulu bakhululwa eBhabhiloni Enkulu ngo-1919. Ngalowomnyaka kwaba angathi uJehova usebuyisele abantu bakhe elizweni elihle.  Lokhu kutsho ukuthi abantu bakaNkulunkulu basebemkhonza ngendlela ehlanzekileyo, bezinikele kuye kuphela. Kusukela lapho uJehova ubebabusisa abantu bakhe, ebavikela futhi ebanika ukuthula. (Zaga. 1:33) UJehova usinika ukudla okusiqinisa ukholo futhi silomsebenzi owenza sithokoze owokutshela abantu ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Sikubonile sibili ukuthi aliqiniso amazwi akuZaga athi: “Isibusiso sikaJehova senza umuntu anothe, njalo isibusiso sakhe asibuyi lobuhlungu.” (Zaga. 10:22) Kungelani lokuthi sihlala ngaphi komhlaba, singaba selizweni leli elihle nxa indlela esikhuluma ngayo lesiziphatha ngayo itshengisa ukuthi sisekela ukukhonza kweqiniso.

¹⁴ Ilizwe leli uJehova asifake kulo liligugu kuye ngoba lilabantu abadonswe nguye ukuze bamkhonze ngeqiniso. IBhayibhili lithi ‘bayizinto eziligugu ezivela ezizweni zonke.’ (Hag. 2:7; Joh. 6:44) Benza konke okusemandleni abo ukuze bagqoke ubuntu obutsha obuhambelana lobuntu bukaNkulunkulu obuhle kakhulu. (Efe. 4:23, 24; 5:1, 2) Labo abakhonza uJehova ngendlela ehlanzekileyo bakhuthele ekwenzeni imisebenzi abanike yona futhi bayenza behlose ukudumisa ibizo lakhe, betshengisa ukuthi bayamthanda. (Rom. 12:1, 2; 1 Joh. 5:3) Asithandabuzi ukuthi uJehova uyathokoza kakhulu nxa ebona abantu abamkhonzayo besebenza nzima ukuze ilizwe labo lihlale lilihle. Nxa sikuqakathekisa ukukhonza kweqiniso siyabe sicecisa ilizwe leli futhi sisenza uJehova athokoze.—Zaga. 27:11.

15, 16. UGogi waseMagogi uzalihlasela nini ilizwe lethu elihle?

¹⁵ Sekuseduze ukuthi izizwe zimanyane besezihlasela ilizwe labantu bakaNkulunkulu elihle. Le yindaba okumele sicabangisise ngayo. Siyafuna ukwazi okunengi ngayo ngoba yithi esizahlaselwa. Asixoxeni ngemibuzo emithathu ezasinceda sizwisise okunengi ngokuhlasela lokhu.

¹⁶ UGogi waseMagogi uzalihlasela nini ilizwe lethu elihle? IBhayibhili lithi uGogi uzahlasela ilizwe labantu bakaNkulunkulu “ngensuku zokucina.” (Hez. 38:16) Lokhu kutshengisa ukuthi uzahlasela khonapho nje ukuphela sekuzafika. Khumbula ukuthi ukuhlupheka okukhulu kuzaqalisa ngokubhujiswa kweBhabhiloni Enkulu, okutsho inkolo yamanga. UGogi uzahlasela abantu bakaNkulunkulu inkolo yamanga isibhujisiwe, kodwa i-Amagedoni ingakaqalisi.

17, 18. Kuyini uJehova azakwenza ngesikhathi sokuhlupheka okukhulu?

¹⁷ Kungani uGogi ezahlasela ilizwe labantu bakaJehova? Kulezinto ezimbili esizithola esiphrofethweni sikaHezekheli ezizakwenza uGogi asihlasele. Okokuqala yilokho okuzakwenziwa nguJehova. Okwesibili zinhloso zikaGogi ezimbi. Asixoxeni ngezinto lezi ezimbili.

 ¹⁸ Lokho okuzakwenziwa nguJehova. (Bala uHezekheli 38:4, 16.) Nanzelela ukuthi uJehova uthini kuGogi. Uthi: ‘Ngizakufaka amawuka emihlathini, ngikulethe elizweni lami ukuthi uzolihlasela.’ Lokhu kutsho ukuthi uJehova uzabamba izizwe ngamandla ukuthi zihlasele abantu bakhe yini? Hatshi, uJehova ngeke abangele ukuthi abantu bakhe behlelwe ngokubi. (Jobe. 34:12) Kodwa uyakwazi ukuthi izitha zakhe ziyabazonda abantu bakhe abamkhonza ngendlela ayifunayo lokuthi nxa zingathola ithuba lokuthi zibahlasele ngeke zilidlalise. (1 Joh. 3:13) Ngesikhathi sakhe esifaneleyo, uJehova uzakwenza ukuthi izinto zenzakale ngendlela evumelana lentando yakhe. Kuzabe kungathi ufake amawuka emihlathini kaGogi wamdonsa. Ngemva kokubhujiswa kweBhabhiloni Enkulu, kungenzakala ukuthi uJehova uzabangela ukuthi izizwe zenze lokho ebezivele zifuna ukukwenza. Lokho okuzakwenziwa nguJehova kuzakwenza ukuthi uGogi ahlasele abantu bakaNkulunkulu, besekuqalisa impi enkulu kulazo zonke, impi ye-Amagedoni. UJehova uzabasindisa abantu bakhe, alwele ubukhosi bakhe njalo angcwelise ibizo lakhe.—Hez. 38:23.

19. Kuyini okuzakwenza uGogi azame ukusithathela inotho esilayo?

 ¹⁹ Inhloso zikaGogi ezimbi. Izizwe ‘zizabumba iqhinga elibi.’ Njengoba sezilesikhathi eside zibazonda abantu bakaNkulunkulu zizazama ukuthi zibahlasele ngoba bayabe bekhanya angani abavikelekanga. Bazabe bengathi ngabantu “abahlala ezigabeni ezingabiyelwanga ngemiduli lezingelamigoqo lamagedi.” Izizwe zizabe zifuna “ukubutha impahla enengi” ebantwini bakaNkulunkulu ‘abalokhu besiba lenotho.’ (Hez. 38:10-12) Yiphi ‘leyonotho’? Yisibusiso sokukhonza uJehova ngendlela ayamukelayo. Izizwe zizazama ukuthi zisithathele inotho le ngokwenza konke okusemandleni azo ukuthi zisiyekelise ukukhonza uJehova ngendlela ayifunayo. Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi ziyakuzonda ukukhonza kweqiniso kanye lalabo abakusekelayo.

20. UGogi uzalihlasela njani ilizwe labantu bakaNkulunkulu?

²⁰ UGogi uzalihlasela njani ilizwe labantu bakaNkulunkulu? Izizwe ezizamanyana zizazama ukusiyekelisa ukukhonza uJehova lokwenza imisebenzi asiphe yona. Mhlawumbe zizazama ukwenza ukuthi singakutholi ukudla okuqinisa ukholo, zisiyalise ukuhlangana ndawonye lokutshumayela. Kungenzakala lokuthi zizame ukusehlukanisa ukuze singaqhubeki simanyene. Nxa zisenza njalo ziyabe zihlasela ilizwe lethu elihle. USathane uzatshotshozela izizwe ukuthi zizame ukuqeda bonke abantu abakhonza uJehova lokuthi zitshabalalise ukukhonza kweqiniso.

21. Kungani simbonga kakhulu uJehova?

²¹ Bonke abakhonza uJehova ngendlela ayamukelayo bazahlaselwa nguGogi waseMagogi. Siyambonga kakhulu uJehova ngoba usesitshelile lokho okuzakwenzakala esikhathini esiseduze. Njengoba sisalindele ukuhlupheka okukhulu, sengathi singazimisela ukuqhubeka sisekela ukukhonza kweqiniso futhi sikuqakathekise ukwedlula loba yini. Nxa sisenza njalo, siyabe sisenza ukuthi ilizwe lethu liqhubeke lisiba lihle kakhulu. Lokhu kuzakwenza sibone indlela emangalisayo uJehova azasindisa ngayo abantu bakhe lazangcwelisa ngayo ibizo lakhe empini ye-Amagedoni. Isahluko esilandelayo sizasitshela okunengi ngalokhu.