1-2. (a) Kubayini i-Arimagedoni ilethela abantu iindaba ezimnandi? (b) Ngimiphi imibuzo esizokucoca ngayo esihlokwenesi?

KHEWABEZWA abantu bacoca ngepi yephasi namkha ngehlekelele yemvelo babize lokho ngokuthi “yi-Arimagedoni”? Abakutjhoko kuhluke khulu kunalokho okutjhiwo liBhayibheli, kazi nalikhuluma nge-Arimagedoni, likhuluma ngeendaba ezimnandi ezilethela abantu ithabo. (IsAm. 1:3) Ipi ye-Arimagedoni angekhe iqede abantu kodwana izobasindisa. Njani?

² IBhayibheli lithi ipi ye-Arimagedoni izokusindisa abantu ngokuqeda ukubusa kwabantu. Ipi le izokusindisa abantu ngokususa abantu abambi itjhiye abalungileko. Begodu izokusindisa abantu ngokuvikela iphasi bona lingatjhatjalaliswa. (IsAm. 11:18) Bona sizwisise kuhle indaba le, akhesicoce ngemibuzo emine: Iyini i-Arimagedoni? Ngiziphi izenzakalo ezizokuba khona ngaphambi kwe-Arimagedoni? Kufuze senzeni nasizakuba phakathi kwabantu abazokusinda e-Arimagedoni? Singahlala njani sithembekile njengombana ipi ye-Arimagedoni itjhidela?

3. (a) Litjho ukuthini ibizo elithi, “Arimagedoni”? (b) IsAmbulo 16:14, 16, sikuhlathulula njani ukuthi i-Arimagedoni akusiyindawo yamambala?

³ Funda isAmbulo 16:14, 16. Ibizo elithi, “Arimagedoni” livela kanye kwaphela emiTlolweni begodu livela ebizweni lesiHebheru elithi, “Intaba yeMegido.” (IsAm. 16:16; ftn.) IMegido bekulidorobho lakwa-Israyeli wekadeni. (Jotj. 17:11) Kodwana i-Arimagedoni akusilibizo lendawo yamambala esephasini.  Ngokunqophileko, liqalisele ebujamweni lapho ‘amakhosi wephasi loke’ azokubuthana khona bona alwisane noJehova. (IsAm. 16:14) Nanyana kunjalo, esihlokwenesi sizolisebenzisa igama elithi, “Arimagedoni” nasikhuluma ngepi ezokulandela nakubuthelelwa amakhosi wephasi. Sazi njani ukuthi i-Arimagedoni iqalisele endaweni engokomfanekiso? Kokuthoma, ayikho intaba yeMegido engokwamambala. Kwesibili, indawo yeMegido yincani khulu bona ingajamelana ‘namakhosi wephasi loke’ namabutho kunye neenkhali zawo. Kwesithathu, njengombana sizokubona esihlokwenesi, ipi ye-Arimagedoni izokuthoma ‘amakhosi’ wephasi nakahlasela abantu bakaZimu, abasephasini loke.

4. Kubayini uZimu afanisa ipi ekulu neMegido?

⁴ Kubayini uJehova afanisa ipi ekulu neMegido? IMegido nendawo ehlanu kwayo umRhoba weJazreyeli bekuziindawo ekwalwelwa kizo izipi ezinengi. Ngeenkhathi ezithileko uJehova bekangenela kezinye zezipi. Ngokwesibonelo, “emanzini weMegido” uZimu wasiza umaHluleli wakwa-Israyeli uBharaki bona ahlule ibutho lamaKanana elidoswa phambili yikosi uSisera. UBharaki nomphorofidikazi uDibhora bathokoza uJehova ngokuthumba kwabo okusimangaliso. Bahlabelela bathi: “Kwalwa iinkwekwezi esibhakabhakeni, . . . zalwa noSisera. Umlanjana iKhitjhoni wabakhukhula.”—Khok. 5:19-21.

5. Ngiyiphi indlela eqakathekileko ipi ye-Arimagedoni ezokuhluka ngayo nayimadaniswa nepi eyalwiwa nguBharaki?

⁵ UBharaki noDibhora baphetha ingomabo ngamezwi athi: “Azibhubhe bunjalo zoke izitha zakho, Somnini! Kodwana abangani bakho bafane nelanga, lona eliphuma ngamandlalo.” (Khok. 5:31) Epini ye-Arimagedoni amanaba kaJehova azokutjhatjalaliswa bese kuthi labo abathanda uZimu basindiswe. Kunenye godu into eqakatheke khulu eyenza umehluko ngezipi ezimbilezi. Epini ye-Arimagedoni, abantu bakaZimu angekhe balwe. Angekhe baphathe neenkhali. ‘Amandlabo azakuba sekuzithobeni nekuthembeni’ uJehova namabuthwakhe wezulwini.—Isa. 30:15; IsAm. 19:11-15.

6. Yini uJehova angayisebenzisa bona ahlule amanabakhe epini ye-Arimagedoni?

⁶ UJehova uzowahlula njani amanabakhe epini ye-Arimagedoni? Angasebenzisa iindlela ezihlukahlukeneko. Ngokwesibonelo, angasebenzisa ukusikinyeka kwephasi, isinanja namkha umbani. (Job. 38:22, 23; Hez. 38:19-22) Angenza amanabakhe bona alwe wodwa. (2 Kron. 20:17, 22, 23) Begodu angasebenzisa neengilozi zakhe bona zibulale abantu abambi. (Isa. 37:36) Nanyana yini uJehova azoyisebenzisa, izokuphumelela. Woke amanabakhe azokutjhatjalaliswa. Bese kuthi boke abalungileko basindiswe.—IzA. 3:25, 26.

7-8. (a) Kweyoku-1 kwebeThesalonika 5:1-6, ngisiphi isaziso esingakajayeleki esizokumenyezelwa babusi bephasi? (b) Kubayini isazizwesi simamala ayingozi?

⁷ Isaziso ‘sokuthula nokuvikeleka’ sizokumenyezelwa ngaphambi kokufika ‘kwelanga lakaJehova.’ (Funda yoku-1 kwebeThesalonika 5:1-6.) Kweyoku-1 kwebeThesalonika 5:2, igama elithi, “ilanga lakaJehova” liqalisela “esizini elikhulu.” (IsAm. 7:14) Sizokwazi njani nasele isizelo lizokuthoma? IBhayibheli lisitjela ngesaziso esingakajayeleki. Sizokuba litshwayo elitjengisa ukuthi isizi elikhulu selizokuthoma.

⁸ Isazisweso ngesithi, “ukuthula nokuvikeleka.” Kubayini ababusi bephasi bazokutjho njalo? Kghani abadosi phambili bekolo  bazokuhlanganyela nabo? Kungenzeka. Asazi ukuthi ababusi bephasi bazosikhipha nini isaziso esithi, ‘sekunokuthula nokuvikeleka,’ kodwana isazisweso sizabe simamala avela emadimonini. Amala lawo azokuba yingozi ngombana azokwenza abantu bacabange ukuthi baphephile, kuhlekuhle kuzabe kukuthoma kwesizi elikhulu emlandweni wabantu. Iye, “ukutjhatjalaliswa kuzobafikela bangakalindeli, njengemirhelo efikela umfazi osidisi.” Kuzokwenzekani eencekwini zakaJehova ezithembekileko? Zizokurareka ngombana azazi ukuthi lizokuthoma nini isizi elikhulu kodwana zizabe zijame ngomumo.

9. UJehova uzolibhubhisa njani iphasi lakaSathaneli?

⁹ UJehova angekhe alibhubhise ngesikhathi esisodwa iphasi lakaSathaneli, njengombana enza esikhathini sakaNowa. Kunalokho, uzolibhubhisa ngeengaba ezimbili. Kokuthoma, uzokubhubhisa iBhabhiloni elikhulu, umbuso wekolo yamala. Bese kuthi epini ye-Arimagedoni, abhubhise ingcenye eseleko yephasi lakaSathana, elihlanganisa zepolotiki, zepi nezokurhwebelana. Okwanje, akhesicoce ngemininingwana yezenzakalo ezimbilezi.

10. NgokwesAmbulo 17:1, 6, no-18:24, kubayini uJehova azokubhubhisa iBhabhiloni eliKhulu?

¹⁰ “Isahlulelo sengwadla ekulu.” (Funda isAmbulo 17:1, 6; 18:24.) IBhabhiloni eliKhulu lilethe ihlazo ebizweni lakaZimu. Lifundise amala ngoZimu. Njengomfazi ongwadlako, ikolo yamala akhenge ithembeke kuJehova kunalokho isekele imibuso yabantu. Igandelele amalungwayo beyawathathela nemali. Ibulele abantu abanengi, kuhlanganise neenceku zakaZimu. (IsAm. 19:2) UJehova uzolibhubhisa njani iBhabhiloni elikhulu?

11. Siyini ‘isibandana esibomvu’ begodu uJehova uzosisebenzisa njani nakatjhabalalisa iBhabhiloni eliKhulu?

¹¹ UJehova uzokusebenzisa ‘iimpondo ezilitjhumi’ ‘zesibandana esibomvu’ bona abhubhise ‘ingwadla ekulu.’ Umfanekiso wesibandana ujamele iinTjhaba eziBumbeneko. Iimpondo ezilitjhumi zijamele aborhulumende abasekela ihlangano leyo. Ngesikhathi  sakaZimu esifaneleko, aborhulumende bazokuhlasela iBhabhiloni eliKhulu. ‘Bazoyihloya ingwadla bayitjhabalalise bebayihlubulise,’ ngokuyithathela ubunjinga bayo nangokutjengisa abantu boke ukukhohlakala kwayo. (IsAm. 17:3, 16) Ukutjhabalalisokho kuzokwenzeka msinyana, kuzokuba ngasuthi kwenzeke ngelanga elilodwa, boke abayisekelako bazokungenwa mamanzi emadolweni. Ngombana beyizikhakhazisa ithi: “Ngihlezi njengendlovukazi, angisimhlolokazi begodu angekhe ngilile.”—IsAm. 18:7, 8.

12. Khuyini uJehova angeze ayivumela bona yenzeke begodu kubayini?

¹² UZimu angeze avumele iintjhaba bona zitjhabalalise iinceku zakhe. Ngombana zimemezele igama lakhe begodu zalalela umyalo wokuphuma eBhabhiloni eliKhulu. (IzE. 15:16, 17; IsAm. 18:4) Godu zisebenze budisi bona zisize abanye baphume kilo. Yeke iinceku zakaJehova ‘angekhe zamukele ingcenye yeembetho zalo.’ Nanyana kunjalo, ukukholwa kwazo kusazokulingwa.

13. (a) Ngubani uGogi? (b)  NgokwakaHezekiyeli 38:2, 8, 9, khuyini ezokubangela uGogi bona ahlasele abantu bakaZimu?

¹³ Ukusahlela kwakaGogi. (Funda uHezekiyeli 38:2, 8, 9.) UJehova nakaqeda ukubhubhisa ikolo yamala, ephasini kuzokusala iinceku zakhe, zizokuba njengomuthi osinde eenkhukhuleni ezinamandla. Akunakuzaza ukuthi uSathana uzokuvukwa madlharuma. Uzokutjengisa ilaka lakhe ngokusebenzisa ‘amezwi aphefumulelweko nasilapheleko,’ okumamala akhulunywa madimoni. Amala lawo azokubangela iinqhema zeentjhaba bona zihlasele abantu bakaJehova. (IsAm. 16:13, 14) Isiqhemeso sibizwa ngokuthi ‘nguGogi wenarha yakwaMagogi.’ Ipi ye-Arimagedoni izokuthoma lokha iintjhaba nazihlasela abantu bakaJehova.—IsAm. 16:16.

14. Khuyini ezokulemukwa nguGogi?

¹⁴ UGogi uzokuthembela ‘eenkhwepheni zenyamakhe,’ okumamandla webutho lakhe. (2 Kron. 32:8) Thina sizokuthembela kuJehova uZimu, ukwenza njalo kuzokubonakala  kubudlhadlha eentjhabeni. Kubayini? Kungombana neBhabhiloni eliKhulu belibonakala linamandla kodwana abozimu balo akhenge balisindise ‘esibandaneni neempondweni zaso ezilitjhumi’! (IsAm. 17:16) Yeke uGogi uzokucabanga ukuthi angasitjhabalalisa lula. “Njengelifu elembese inarha,” uzokuhlasela abantu bakaJehova. (Hez. 38:16) UGogi uzokulemuka ukuthi angekhe aphunyurhe. NjengoFaro eLwandle eliBomvu, uGogi uzokulemuka bona ulwa noJehova.—Eks. 14:1-4; Hez. 38:3, 4, 18, 21-23.

15. Khuyini ezokwenziwa nguJesu epini ye-Arimagedoni?

¹⁵ UKrestu namabuthwakhe wezulwini bazokuvikela abantu bakaZimu, babhubhise uGogi namabuthwakhe unomphela. (IsAm. 19:11, 14, 15) Kuzokwenzekani ngoSathana inaba elikhulu lakaJehova, elikhulume amala labangela bona iintjhaba zihlasele abantu bakaZimu epini ye-Arimagedoni? UJesu uzombopha namadimonakhe amphosele ngemgodini onganamkhawulo, amvalele lapho bekuphele iminyaka eyikulungwana.—IsAm. 20:1-3.

16. (a) Singatjengisa njani ukuthi ‘siyamazi uZimu’? (b) Kuzokwenzekani ngabantu abazi uJehova epini ye-Arimagedoni?

¹⁶ Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sesineminyaka eminengi kangangani siseqinisweni namkha awa, bona sisinde epini ye-Arimagedoni, kufuze sitjengise ukuthi ‘siyamazi uZimu’ begodu ‘silalela iindaba ezimnandi ezimalungana neKosethu uJesu.’ (2 Thes. 1:7-9) ‘Siyamazi uZimu’ nasazi ukuthi uthandani, uzondani, nemithetho yokuziphatha. Godu sitjengisa ukuthi siyamazi ngokuthi simthande, simlalele begodu silotjhe yena kwaphela. (1 Jwa. 2:3-5; 5:3) Nasitjengisa ukuthi siyamazi uZimu, siba nelungelo ‘lokwaziwa nguye.’ (1 Kor. 8:3) ‘Ukwaziwa nguye’ kutjho bona sizokusinda epini ye-Arimagedoni.

17. Kutjho ukuthini ‘ukulalela iindaba ezimnandi ezimalungana neKosethu uJesu’?

¹⁷ “Iindaba ezimnandi ezimalungana neKosethu uJesu” zihlanganisa iqiniso uJesu alifundisako, eliseliZwini lakaZimu. Silalela iindaba  ezimnandi nasisebenzisa lokho esikufundako ekuphileni kwethu. Ukulalela kuhlanganisa nokuragela phambili sifuna umBuso kaZimu qangi, siphile ngeenkambisolawulo zakaZimu zokulunga, nokutjhumayela ngomBuso kaZimu. (Mat. 6:33; 24:14) Godu kuhlanganisa nokusekela abafowabo bakaKrestu njengombana benza umsebenzi oqakathekileko.—Mat. 25:31-40.

18. Abafowabo bakaKrestu abazesiweko bazozivuza njani ezinye izimvu?

¹⁸ Ingasi kade, iinceku zakaZimu ezizesiweko zizokuvuza ‘ezinye izimvu’ ngokuba lisizo kizo. (Jwa. 10:16) Zizokwenza njani lokho? Ngaphambi kobana kuthome ipi ye-Arimagedoni, boke abazii-144 000 bazabe sebavuselwe ezulwini ngemizimba yemimmoya engonakaliko. Azokuba yingcenye yebutho lezulwini elizokurhayila uGogi begodu lisindise “isiqubuthu esikhulu” sezinye izimvu. (IsAm. 2:26, 27; 7:9, 10) Isiqubuthu esikhulu sizokuthaba kwamambala ngokuthi sikghonile ukusekela iinceku zakaJehova ezizesiweko nazisesephasina!

19-20. Naphezu kweenlingo esiqalana nazo, singahlala njani sithembekile njengombana i-Arimagedoni itjhidela?

¹⁹ Emihleni yokuphela le, abantu bakaJehova abanengi bakghodlhelela iinlingo. Nanyana kunjalo, singakghodlhelela ngethabo. (Jak. 1:2-4) Into engasisiza sikghodlhelele kuthandaza. (Luk. 21:36) Akukafuzi sithandaze kwaphela, kodwana kufuze sifunde iliZwi lakaZimu qobe lilanga begodu sizindle ngalo. (Rhu. 77:12) Nasenza izintwezi, kuhlanganise nokuhlanganyela ngokuzeleko emsebenzini wokutjhumayela, ukukholwa kwethu nethemba esinalo kuzokuqina!

²⁰ Akhucabange ukuthi kuzokuba njani iBhabhiloni eliKhulu lingasekho nepi ye-Arimagedoni seyidlulile! Cabanga godu bona kuzokuba mnandi kangangani woke umuntu nasele ahlonipha ibizo lakaZimu nelungelo lakhe lokubusa! (Hez. 38:23) Kwamambala, i-Arimagedoni iza neendaba ezimnandi kilabo abazi uZimu, abalalela iNdodanakhe begodu bakghodlhelele bekube sekupheleni.—Mat. 24:13.