1, 2. Ngiyiphi ipi ekulu ezako begodu ngimiphi imibuzo esingazibuza yona? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

 SELE kuphele iinkulungwana zeminyaka iphaseli lasilaphazwa ngeengazi zabantu epini, kuhlanganise neengazi ezinengi ezaphalaka ngebanga lezipi ezimbili zephasi ,zangekhulu lama-20. Kodwana ipi ekulu emlandweni wabantu iseza. Nanyana kunjalo, angekhe ibe phakathi kwabantu namkha hlangana neentjhaba ezisephasini ezilwa zodwa ngebanga lokuba marhamaru. Kunalokho ipi le, kuzokuba ‘yipi yelanga elikhulu lakaZimu uMninimandla Woke.’ (IsAm. 16:14) Inaba elinekani lizokubangela ipi le begodu lizokungena enarheni kaZimu eligugu, ukusahlelokho kuzokwenza iKosi ePhakemeko uJehova itjengise amandlayo amakhulu wokutjhabalalisa angakhenge khekabonwe ephasini ngaphambilini.

² Kusenza sizibuze ukuthi: Lingubani inabeli? Ngiyiphi inarha elizoyisahlela? Lizokwenza nini lokho, kubayini begodu lizoyisahlela njani inarha le? Njengombana izenzakalwezi ezizokwenzeka, zihlanganisa thina abantu abalotjha uJehova ngendlela ayamukelako ephasini, kufuze sazi iimpendulo zemibuzo le. Sizifumana esiphorofidweni esithabisako esifumaneka kuHezekiyeli isahluko sama-38 nesama-39.

3. Hlathulula amaphuzu ayihloko wesiphorofido sakaHezekiyeli malungana noGogi wakwaMagogi.

 ³ Funda uHezekiyeli 38:1, 2, 8, 18; 39:4, 11. Naka amaphuzu ayihloko wesiphorofido: “Emihleni yokuphela yeminyaka,” inaba elibizwa ngokuthi ‘nguGogi wakwaMagogi’ lisahlela “inarha” yabantu bakaZimu. Kodwana ukusahlela okunesihlukokho kwenza “ilaka” lakaJehova livuthe begodu uJehova uyangenela ahlule uGogi. a Ngemva kokuhlula, uJehova unikela inaba nabo boke abangehlangothini lalo bona ‘babe kukudla kiyo yoke imihlobo yeenyoni zamadlanga neembandaneni.’ Emaswapheleni uJehova unikela uGogi ‘indawo yokubulungwa.’ Bona sizwisise ukuthi isiphorofidwesi sizokuzaliseka njani esikhathini esizako, kufuze kokuthoma sazi ukuthi ungubani uGogi.

4. Khuyini esingaphetha ngayo ngoGogi wakwaMagogi?

⁴ Ngubani-ke uGogi wakwaMagogi? Ngokwehlathululo kaHezekiyeli, singatjho bona uGogi ulinaba labantu abalotjha uZimu ngendlela ayamukelako. Kghani uGogi ligama lakaSathana lesiphorofido, njengombana alinaba elikhulu lokulotjha kweqiniso? Kuphele iminyaka eminengi iincwadi zethu zitjho njalo. Nanyana kunjalo, ukwenza irhubhululo elingeziweko ngesiphorofido sakaHezekiyeli kusenze salungisa indlela ebesizwisisa ngayo. IsiThala sahlathulula ukuthi ibizo elithi uGogi wakwaMagogi, liqalisele emuntwini ingasi esibunjweni sommoya esingabonakaliko, okukubumbana kweentjhaba ezilwisana nokulotjha okuhlwengileko. b Ngaphambi kobana siqale isisekelo sesiphethweso, kokuthoma akhe sihlolisise amaphuzu amabili asesiphorofidweni sakaHezekiyeli, atjengisa ukuthi uGogi akasiso isibunjwa sommoya.

5, 6. Khuyini esesiphorofidweni sakaHezekiyeli etjengisa ukuthi uGogi wakwaMagogi akasisibunjwa sommoya?

⁵ “Ngizokunikela bona ube kukudla kiyo yoke imihlobo yeenyoni zamadlanga.” (Hez. 39:4) Kanengi imiTlolo isebenzisa umfanekiso wamadlanga adla iindumbu njengesiyeleliso sakaJehova. UZimu wasiyelelisa ngendlela efanako isitjhaba sakwa-Israyeli nezinye iintjhaba ezingasima-Israyeli. (Dut. 28:26; Jor. 7:33; Hez. 29:3, 5) Tjheja ukuthi iinyeleliswezo ezivela kuZimu zanikelwa abantu, ingasi iimbunjwa zommoya. Nasele uyicabanga, iinyoni zommango neembandana azidli umoya zidla inyama. Yeke, isiyeleliso esivela kuZimu esisesiphorofidweni sakaHezekiyeli sitjengisa ukuthi uGogi akasisibunjwa sommoya.

⁶ ‘Ngizokwenzela uGogi indawo yokubulungelwa kwa-Israyeli.’ (Hez. 39:11) ImiTlolo ayikhulumi ngeembunjwa zommoya ukuthi zibulungwa ephasini. Kunalokho, uSathana namadimonakhe bazokuvalelwa emgodini onganamkhawulo iminyaka eyi-1000, kuthi ngemva kwalokho baphoselwe elitsheni lomlilo elingokomfanekiso, okutjho ukutjhatjalaliswa kwabo ngokungapheliko. (Luk. 8:31; IsAm. 20:1-3, 10) Njengombana kuthiwa uGogi unikelwa ‘indawo yokubulungwa’ ephasini singaphetha ngokuthi akasiso isibunjwa sommoya.

7, 8. “Ikosi yetlhagwini” izokutjhatjalaliswa nini begodu lokhu kufana njani nalokho okuzokwenzeka kuGogi wakwaMagogi?

⁷ Uyini namkha ngubani uGogi nangabe akasiso isibunjwa sommoya, inaba elizokuhlela ukusahlela abantu bakaZimu kwamaswaphela?  Akhe siqale iimphorofido zeBhayibheli ezimbili ezisisiza sibone ukuthi uGogi wakwaMagogi ngubani.

⁸ “Ikosi yetlhagwini.” (Funda uDanyela 11:40-45.) UDanyela wabikezela ngokuvela kwekosi enamandla kusukela ngesikhathi sakhe, bekufikele esikhathini sethu. Isiphorofidwesi sibuye sikhulume ngokungazwani hlangana neenhlangano zepolotiki, “ikosi yesewula” ‘nekosi yetlhagwini’ ngayinye yazo ebeyisolo itjhuguluka emakhulwini weminyaka edlulileko njengombana iintjhaba zephasi zilwela ukubusa. Malungana nejima lamaswaphela lekosi yetlhagwini “esikhathini sokuphela,” uDanyela wathi: “Izokuphuma ngelaka elikhulu bona iyokurhayila begodu inikele abanengi ekutjhatjalalisweni.” Ngokuyihloko ikosi yetlhagwini ilwisana nalabo abalotjha uJehova. c NjengoGogi wakwaMagogi, ikosi yetlhagwini “izokutjhatjalaliswa” ngemva kokubhalelwa ukusahlela abantu bakaZimu.

9. Okwenzeka kuGogi wakwaMagogi nalokho okwenzeka “emakhosini wephasi loke” kufana ngani?

⁹ ‘Amakhosi wephasi loke.’ (Funda isAmbulo 16:14, 16; 17:14; 19:19, 20.) Incwadi yesAmbulo yabikezela ngokusahlela ‘kwamakhosi wephasi loke’, asahlela ‘iKosi yamakhosi’ uJesu wezulwini. Kodwana awakghoni ukusahlela uJesu ngebanga lokuthi usezulwini, yeke asahlela abalandeli bomBuso lo abasephasini. Amakhosi wephasi azokuhlulwa epini ye-Arimagedoni. Tjheja ukuthi ayatjhabalala ngemva kokusahlela abantu bakaJehova. Lokhu kuyafana nokutjhiwo ngoGogi wakwaMagogi. d

10. Singaphetha ngokuthi ngubani uGogi wakwaMagogi?

¹⁰ Ngebanga lalokhu esicoce ngakho, singaphetha ngokuthi ngubani uGogi? Kokuthoma, uGogi akasiso isibunjwa sommoya. Kwesibili, uGogi ujamele iintjhaba zephasi ezizokusahlela abantu bakaZimu ingasikade. Iintjhabezo zizokubumbana ngendlela ethileko. Kubayini? Njengombana abantu bakaZimu basephasini loke, iintjhaba kuzokufuze zibumbane ngehloso yokubasahlela. (Mat. 24:9) Nanyana iintjhaba kungizo ezizokusahlela kodwana nguSathana ozabe aphethe iintambo. Sele kusikhathi eside asebenzisa iintjhaba ephasini ukuphikisana nokulotjha kweqiniso. (1 Jwa. 5:19; IsAm. 12:17) Amezwi kaHezekiyeli wesiphorofido ngoGogi wakwaMagogi adzimelele endimeni ezokudlalwa ziintjhaba zephasi nazisahlela abantu bakaJehova. e

11. Isiphorofido sakaHezekiyeli siyihlathulula njani “inarha” uGogi azoyisahlela?

¹¹ Njengombana sifundile  esigabeni sesi-3, uGogi wakwaMagogi uzokusilinga uJehova ngokusahlela inarhakhe ekhethekileko. Iyini inarha le? Akhe sibuyele esiphorofidweni sakaHezekiyeli. (Funda uHezekiyeli 38:8-12.) Sithi uGogi ‘uzokusahlela inarha abantu bakhona ababuyiswako’ begodu ‘ababuthelelwe eentjhabeni.’ Tjheja godu ukuthi abalotjhako ababuyiselwa enarheni ‘bazokuhlala ngokuvikeleka,’ endawenabo yokuhlala ‘engakavikelwa maboda, ziinsimbi namkha amasango’ begodu ‘babuthelela umnotho.’ Le yinarha abantu abalotjha uZimu ngendlela ayamukelako abahlala kiyo. Singayibona njani?

12. Ngikuphi ukuvuselelwa okwenzeka enarheni yakwa-Israyeli ngeenkhathi zeBhayibheli?

 ¹² Kuyasiza ukucabanga ngokubuyiselwa kokulotjha okuhlwengileko okwenzeke kwa-Israyeli wekadeni, inarha abantu bakaZimu abakhethiweko ebebahlala kiyo, basebenza khona begodu balotjha uZimu iminyaka. U-Israyeli nakakhetha ukungathembeki, uJehova wasebenzisa uHezekiyeli ukumtjela bona inarhakhe izokutjhatjalaliswa begodu itjhiywe inganalitho. (Hez. 33:27-29) Kodwana uJehova wabuye waphorofida bona abaseleko abaphendukileko ngokukhamba kwesikhathi bazokubuya ekudingisweni eBhabhiloni begodu ukulotjha okuhlwengileko kuzokubuyiselwa enarheni. UJehova bekazokubusisa inarha yakwa-Israyeli begodu itjhuguluke ithele ‘ifane nesimu ye-Edeni.’ (Hez. 36:34-36) Ukubuyiselwa kokulotjha okuhlwengilekokho kwathoma ngo-537 B.C.E. ngesikhathi amaJuda adingisiweko abuyela eJerusalema abuyisela ukulotjha kweqiniso enarhenawo ayithandako.

13, 14. (a) Iyini inarha engokomfanekiso? (b) Kubayini inarha le iligugu kuJehova?

¹³ Eenkhathini zanamhlanjesi, abantu bakaZimu babona ukubuyiselwa kokulotjha okuhlwengileko okufanako. Njengombana sibonile esaHlukweni se-9 sencwadi le, ngo-1919 abantu bakaZimu batjhatjhululwa ekuthunjweni isikhathi eside eBhabhiloni eliKhulu. Ngawo umnyaka lowo, uJehova wabuyisela abantu abamlotjhako enarheni engokomfanekiso. Inarha leyo lipharadesi elingokomfanekiso, eliphephileko, lapho kunelwazi elinengi ngoZimu, kusetjenzelwa yena begodu kulotjhwa uZimu weqiniso. Sihlala enarheni leyo ngokuvikeleka begodu sinokuthula. (IzA. 1:33) Sifumana ilwazi elinengi elisitjhideza kuZimu, senza umsebenzi owanelisako wokutjhumayela ngomBuso  kaZimu. Sivumelana namezwi wezaga nakathi: “Sibusiso sakaJehova esenza umuntu anjinge, begodu akangezeleli ubuhlungu kiso.” (IzA. 10:22) Nanyana kukuphi lapho sihlala khona, sikiyo inarha le, ipharadesi elingokomfanekiso, ikani nasisekela ukulotjha okuhlwengileko ngamezwi nangezenzo.

¹⁴ Inarha engokomfanekiso le iligugu kuJehova. Kuye, abahlali bayo ‘bazizinto eziligugu zazo zoke iintjhaba’ abantu uJehova abadosela ekulotjheni okuhlwengileko. (Hag. 2:7; Jwa. 6:44) Ngokuthembeka bambatha ubuntu obutjha, obuveza ubuntu bakaZimu obuphakemeko. (Efe. 4:23, 24; 5:1, 2) Njengombana balotjha uJehova ngendlela ayamukelako, bazinikela ngokupheleleko emsebenzinakhe, lokho bakwenza ngendlela eletha iphazimulo kuye begodu batjengisa bona bayamthanda. (Rom. 12:1, 2; 1 Jwa. 5:3) Singacabanga indlela uJehova athaba ngayo nakabona abantu abamlotjhako basebenza budisi ukwenza inarha engokomfanekiso le ibe yihle. Akhe ucabange: Ngokwenza ukulotjha okuhlwengileko kuze qangi ekuphileni kwakho, awenzi ipharadesi elingokomfanekiso libe lihle kwaphela kodwana wenza noJehova athabe.—IzA. 27:11.

15, 16. UGogi wakwaMagogi uzoyisahlela nini inarha engokomfanekiso ebuyiselweko?

¹⁵ Ukwazi ukuthi kungasikade iintjhaba zephasi ezibumbeneko zizokusahlela inarhethu engokomfanekiso eligugu, kusenza sicabangisise. Njengombana ukusahlelokhu kufaka nathi abantu abalotjha uJehova ngendlela ayamukelako, sifuna ukwazi okungeziweko  ngalokho. Akhe sicabange ngemibuzo emithathu esingazibuza yona.

¹⁶ UGogi wakwaMagogi uzoyisahlela nini inarhethu engokomfanekiso ebuyiselweko? Isiphorofido siyaphendula: “Emihleni yokuphela yeminyaka nizokusahlela inarha.” (Hez. 38:8) Lokho kutjho bona sele sitjhidele ekupheleni kwephaseli. Khumbula bona isizi elikhulu lizokuthoma ngokutjhatjalaliswa kweBhabhiloni eliKhulu, okumbuso wephasi wekolo yamala. Ngemva kobana iinhlangano zekolo yamala sele zitjhatjalalisiwe begodu ngaphambi kobana kuthome i-Arimagedoni, uGogi uzokuthoma ukusahlela kwamaswaphela, uzokwenza koke okusemandlenakhe bona asahlele abantu abalotjha uZimu ngeqiniso.

17, 18. UJehova uzozinqophisa njani izinto ngesizi elikhulu?

¹⁷ Kubayini uGogi azokusahlela inarha ebuyiselweko yabantu abalotjha uJehova ngendlela ehlwengileko? Isiphorofido sakaHezekiyeli siveza izinto ezimbili, kokuthoma indlela uJehova anqophisa ngayo izinto, kwesibili, iinhloso ezikhohlakeleko zakaGogi.

¹⁸ Isandla sakaJehova esinqophisako. (Funda uHezekiyeli 38:4, 16.) Tjheja ukuthi uJehova uthini kuGogi: ‘Ngizokufaka amawugu emihlathinakho’ begodu “ngizokuletha bona ujamelane nenarhami.” Inga-kghani  amezwi la atjho bona uJehova uzokukatelela iintjhaba bona zisahlele abantu abamlotjhako? Awa akusinjalo! Angekhe avumela izinto ezimbi bona zehlakalele abantu bakhe. (Job. 34:12) Kodwana uJehova uyazi bona amanabakhe azokuhloya abantu abamlotjha ngendlela ayamukelako begodu azokusebenzisa woke amathuba awafumanako bona abatjhabalalise. (1 Jwa. 3:13) Kuzokuba ngasuthi ufake amawugu emhlathini kaGogi begodu uyamdosa, uJehova uzokunqophisa izinto bona zenzeke ngokwentandwakhe nangesikhathi sakhe. Ngemva kokutjhatjalaliswa kweBhabhiloni eliKhulu, uJehova angadosela iintjhaba bona zenze lokho okuseenhliziyweni zazo. UJehova uzokwenza bona kube nokusahlela okuzokwenza bona kuthome i-Arimagedoni, ipi ekulu ukudlula zoke ekhezaba khona ephasini. Uzokusindisa abantu bakhe, aphakamise ubukhosi bakhe begodu acwengise igama lakhe.—Hez. 38:23.

19. Khuyini ezokwenza uGogi alinge ukujamisa ukulotjha okuhlwengileko?

¹⁹ Iinhloso zakaGogi ezikhohlakeleko. Iintjhaba ‘zizokuluka amano akhohlakeleko.’ Zizokufuna ukuveza ilaka nehloywazo ebantwini abalotjha uJehova, abantwabo ngesikhatheso bazokubonakala bangakavikeleki, ngasuthi ‘bahlala eendaweni ezingakavikelwa maboda, ziinsimbi namkha amasango.’ Iintjhaba zizokufuna ‘ukuthatha izinto  ezinengi begodu zidlelezele “labo ababuthelela umnotho.” (Hez. 38:10-12) Muphi “umnotho”? Abantu bakaJehova banomnotho omkhulu, ophuma phambili kikho koke, ukulotjha uJehova ngendlela ayamukelako, okunguye kwaphela abangamnikela wona. Iintjhaba zizokwenza koke ezingakghona ukukwenza bona zijamise ukulotjha uZimu ngendlela ehlwengileko, ingasi ngombana ziyakuthanda kodwana ngombana zikuhloyile, zihloye nalabo abakuthuthukisako.

20. UGogi uzoyisahlela njani inarha engokomfanekiso namkha ipharadesi?

²⁰ UGogi uzoyisahlela njani inarha engokomfanekiso namkha ipharadesi? Iintjhaba zingalinga ukuphazamisa indlela esiphila ngayo nokusilisisa ukulotjha uZimu ngendlela ayifunako. Zingalinga ukuvimba ilwazi elisenza sitjhidelane noZimu, ukusivimba bona singahlangani ndawonye namkha singabi nebumbano begodu zingalinga nokusenza singatjhumayeli umlayezo kaZimu ngetjiseko. Zoke izintwezo zakha ipharadesi elingokomfanekiso. USathana uzokwenza iintjhaba zilinge ukuqeda abantu abalotjha uZimu kuhlanganise nokulotjha kwabo uJehova ngendlela ehlwengileko ephasini.

21. Kubayini uthokoza ngokuthi uJehova usiyelelisa ngalokho okuzokwenzeka ingasikade?

²¹ Ukusahlela kwakaGogi wakwaMagogi okuzako kuzokuthinta boke abantu abalotjha uZimu ngendlela ehlwengileko enarheni engokomfanekiso. Kuyasithabisa ukwazi ukuthi uJehova usiyelelisa ngalokho okuzako! Njengombana silindele isizi elikhulu, kwanga singahlala sizimisele ukulotjha uZimu ngendlela ayamukelako begodu sikwenze kuze qangi ekuphileni kwethu. Ngokwenza njalo, sizabe sifaka isandla ekwenzeni inarha ebuyiselweko ibe yihle. Sizokuba sebujamweni bokubona into ekarisako, indlela uJehova azokujamela ngayo abantu bakhe negama lakhe elicwengileko nge-Arimagedoni. Esahlukweni esilandelako sizokubona ukuthi kuzokwenzeka njani lokho.