1-2. (a) Kungani i-Amagedoni ita nalokuhle kodvwa kubantfu? (b) Ngumiphi imibuto lesitawucoca ngayo kulesihloko?

UKE wabeva yini bantfu batsi ‘i-Amagedoni’ iyimphi ye-nuclear nobe batsi isehlakalo semvelo? Ngalokwehlukile, loko liBhayibheli lelikushoko nge-Amagedoni kutindzaba letimnandzi futsi kusenta sijabule! (Semb. 1:3) Imphi ye-Amagedoni ngeke ibhubhise bantfu, kepha itawubasindzisa. Kanjani?

² LiBhayibheli litsi imphi ye-Amagedoni itawusindzisa bantfu ngekutsi icedze bohulumende lababusa bantfu. Lemphi itawusindzisa bantfu ngekutsi ibhubhise lababi futsi labalungile bachubeke baphila, nangekutsi ivikele umhlaba kulabo labawulimatako. (Semb. 11:18) Kuze sikucondze kahle loko, asesicoce nganayi imibuto lemine: Iyini i-Amagedoni? Ngutiphi tintfo letitawenteka ngembikwekutsi ifike? Singenta njani kuze sibe semkhatsini walabatawusindza ku-Amagedoni? Singahlala njani setsembekile njengobe i-Amagedoni isondzela?

3. (a) Lisho kutsini ligama lelitsi ‘Amagedoni’? (b) Umbhalo weSembulo 16:14, 16, uveta njani kutsi i-Amagedoni akusiyo indzawo lekhona mbamba?

³ Fundza Sembulo 16:14, 16. Ligama lelitsi ‘Amagedoni’ livela kanye emiBhalweni, futsi lisuselwe egameni lesiHebheru lelisho “iNtsaba yaseMegido.” IMegido bekulidolobha lebelika-Israyeli wasendvulo. (Josh. 17:11) Kodvwa i-Amagedoni akusiyo indzawo lekhona mbamba. Imelela indzawo lapho ‘emakhosi emhlaba wonkhe’ atawuhlangana khona kuze amelane naJehova. (Semb. 16:14) Nobe kunjalo, kulesihloko leligama lelitsi “Amagedoni” sitawuphindze silisebentise nasikhuluma  ngemphi letawulandzela ngekushesha nje ngemuva kwekuhlangana ndzawonye kwemakhosi emhlaba. Sati njani kutsi i-Amagedoni iyindzawo lengumfanekiso? Kwekucala, kute intsaba yaseMegido. Kwesibili, indzawo yaseMegido yincane kakhulu kutsi kungahlanganela kuyo ‘emakhosi emhlaba wonkhe’ kanye nemabutfo awo netikhali tawo. Kwesitsatfu, njengoba sitawufundza kulesihloko, imphi ye-Amagedoni itawucala ngesikhatsi “emakhosi” emhlaba ahlasela bantfu baNkulunkulu labahlala kuwo wonkhe umhlaba.

4. Kungani Nkulunkulu ayihlobanisa ne-Megido imphi yakhe lenkhulu yekugcina?

⁴ Kungani Jehova ayihlobanisa ne-Megido imphi lenkhulu yekugcina? Ngetikhatsi tekubhalwa kweliBhayibheli, timphi letinyenti betiliwa eMegido kanye naseSigodzini saseJezreyeli lebesiseceleni kwayo. Ngaletinye tikhatsi, Jehova bekabasita bantfu bakhe nabalwa letimphi. Sibonelo saloko kutsi “ngasemitfonjeni yaseMegido,” Nkulunkulu wasita Bharaki umehluleli waka-Israyeli kutsi ancobe libutfo lemaKhenani lebeliholwa nguSisera indvuna yalo. Bharaki kanye naDebhora umphrofethikati babonga Jehova ngalokuncoba lokusimangaliso. Bahlabela batsi: “Esibhakabhakeni tinkhanyeti talwa . . . naSisera. Umfudlana iKhishoni wabakhukhula.”—Khu. 5:19-21.

5. Imphi ye-Amagedoni itawehluka njani ngendlela lebalulekile nemphi leyaliwa nguBharaki?

⁵ Bharaki naDebhora baphetsa ingoma yabo ngemavi latsi: “Yebo, Simakadze, shangatsi tonkhe titsa takho tingabhubha. Kodvwa labo labatsandza wena bangakhanya njengelilanga naliphumako ngemandla alo.” (Khu. 5:31) Ngemphi ye-Amagedoni, titsa taNkulunkulu titawubhujiswa, futsi labo labatsandza Nkulunkulu batawusindziswa. Kodvwa kunemehluko lobalulekile emkhatsini waletimphi letimbili. Nge-Amagedoni, bantfu baNkulunkulu ngeke balwe futsi ngeke baphatse ngisho netikhali! Emandla abo atawuba ‘sekuthuleni nasekwetsembeni’ Jehova kanye nemabutfo akhe asezulwini.—Isa. 30:15; Semb. 19:11-15.

6. Ngutiphi tindlela Jehova langatisebentisa kuze ancobe titsa takhe ngemphi ye-Amagedoni?

⁶ Nkulunkulu utatincoba njani titsa takhe ngemphi ye-Amagedoni? Angasebentisa tindlela letehlukahlukene. Sibonelo saloko kutsi angasebentisa kutamatama kwemhlaba, sangcotfo kanye nembane. (Jobe 38:22, 23; Hez. 38:19-22) Nkulunkulu angenta nekutsi titsa takhe tilwe todvwana. (2 Khr. 20:17, 22, 23) Angasebentisa netingilosi takhe kutsi tibulale bantfu lababi. (Isa. 37:36) Kunobe yini Nkulunkulu latayisebentisa, utawuncoba. Tonkhe titsa takhe titawubhujiswa futsi bonkhe bantfu labalungile batawusindziswa.—Taga 3:25, 26.

7-8. (a) Ngekusho kwembhalo wa-1 Thesalonika 5:1-6, ngusiphi simemetelo lesingakavami lesitawukhishwa baholi bemhlaba? (b) Kungani lesimemetelo sitawuba ngemanga layingoti?

⁷ Simemetelo lesimayelana ‘nekuthula nekulondzeka’ sitawulandzelwa “lilanga laJehova.” (Fundza 1 Thesalonika 5:1-6.) Embhalweni wa-1 Thesalonika 5:2, “lilanga laJehova” lisho ‘kuhlupheka lokukhulu.’ (Semb. 7:14) Sitawati njani kutsi sekutawucala lokuhlupheka? LiBhayibheli litsi kutawuba nesimemetelo lesingakavami. Lesimemetelo sitawuba luphawu lwekutsi kuhlupheka lokukhulu sekutawucala.

⁸ Leso kutawuba ngulesimemetelo ‘sekuthula nekulondzeka’ lokwakhulunywa ngaso. Kungani baholi bemhlaba batawukhipha lesimemetelo? Baholi benkholo batawuba nencenye yini kuso? Kungenteka. Nobe kunjalo, lesimemetelo sitawube singemanga laphefumulelwe ngemadimoni. Lamanga atawube ayingoti kakhulu ngobe atawenta bantfu bacabange kutsi balondzekile, kantsi kutawube sekusele kancane kutsi behlelwe kuhlupheka lokukhulu kunako konkhe  lokwake kwaba khona. “Kubhujiswa kuyawubatuma ngekushesha lokukhulu, njengemihelo lefikela umfati lotetfwele.” Kodvwa kutawentekani etincekwini taJehova letetsembekile? Kungenteka titawumangala nakucala lokuhlupheka lokukhulu, kodvwa titawube tikulungele kucala kwako.

9. Nkulunkulu utalibhubhisa njani lelive lelibuswa nguSathane?

⁹ Jehova ngeke abhubhise lonkhe lelive lelibuswa nguSathane ngesikhatsi sinye njengobe enta ngemalanga aNowa. Kodvwa utalibhubhisa ngetigaba letimbili. Utawucala ngekubhubhisa iBhabhulona Lenkhulu, lokungiyo yonkhe inkholo yemanga. Ngemuva kwaloko, ngesikhatsi semphi ye-Amagedoni, utawubhubhisa lonkhe live laSathane lokufaka ekhatsi tepolitiki, emabutfo alo emphi kanye netekutsengiselana. Asesicoce ngaletigaba letimbili letibalulekile taloko lokutawenteka.

10. Ngekusho kwembhalo weSembulo 17:1, 6, nesehluko 18:24, kungani Jehova atawubhubhisa iBhabhulona Lenkhulu?

¹⁰ “Kwehlulelwa kwengwadla lenkhulu.” (Fundza Sembulo 17:1, 6; 18:24.) IBhabhulona Lenkhulu yente kutsi libito laNkulunkulu ledzelelwe kakhulu. Ifundzise emanga ngaNkulunkulu. Njengemfati loyingwadla, inkholo yemanga ayiketsembeki kuJehova ngobe isekele babusi bemhlaba. Icindzetele bantfu labangemalunga ayo futsi yatsatsa nemali yabo. Iphindze yabulala bantfu labanyenti, lokufaka ekhatsi tinceku taNkulunkulu. (Semb. 19:2) Jehova utayibhubhisa njani iBhabhulona Lenkhulu?

11. Simelela ini ‘silo sasendle lesibovu,’ futsi Nkulunkulu utasisebentisa njani kuze abhubhise iBhabhulona Lenkhulu?

¹¹ Jehova utawubhubhisa ‘ingwadla lenkhulu’ asebentisa ‘timphondvo letilishumi’ ‘tesilo sasendle lesibovu.’ Lesilo sasendle simelela Mhlabuhlangene. Letimphondvo letilishumi timelela bohulumende labasekela Mhlabuhlangene. Ngesikhatsi saNkulunkulu lesibekiwe, labohulumende batawuhlasela iBhabhulona Lenkhulu. ‘Batawutsatsa konkhe lenako futsi bayingcunule’ ngekutsi batsatse umcebo wayo baphindze babubeke ebaleni bubi bayo. (Semb. 17:3, 16) Kubhujiswa kwayo lokutawenteka ngekushesha,  kube shengatsi kwenteke ngelilanga linye, kutawubamangalisa kakhulu labo labayisekelako. Ngetulu kwako konkhe, besekusikhatsi lesidze solo itigcabha itsi: “Ngihleti njengendlovukazi, angisiye nemfelokati, futsi angiyoze ngilile.”—Semb. 18:7, 8.

12. Yini Jehova langeke avumele tive kutsi tiyente, futsi kungani?

¹² Nkulunkulu angeke ativumele tive kutsi tibhubhise bantfu bakhe. Bantfu bakhe babitwa ngelibito lakhe, futsi bawulalele umyalo wekutsi baphume eBhabhulona Lenkhulu. (Imis. 15:16, 17; Semb. 18:4) Basebente kamatima kuze basite labanye baphume kuyo. Ngako tinceku taJehova angeke ‘tiyitfole incenye yetishayo tayo.’ Nobe kunjalo, kukholwa kwato kutawuvivinywa.

13. (a) Ngubani Gogi? (b) Ngekusho kwembhalo waHezekeli 38:2, 3, 8, 9, yini letawenta Gogi kutsi ahlasele bantfu baNkulunkulu?

¹³ Kuhlasela kwaGogi. (Fundza Hezekeli 38:2, 3, 8, 9.) Nasetibhujiswe tonkhe tinhlangano tenkholo yemanga, kutawusala yinye inkholo emhlabeni. Kutawusala tinceku taJehova kuphela. Kusebaleni kutsi Sathane utawutfukutsela agane lunwabu. Utawubhodlisa lentfukutselo yakhe ngekutsi asebentise emanga ebudimoni, ‘lokutinkhulumo letiphefumulelwe letingcolile,’ letitawenta kutsi emacembu etive ahlasele tinceku taJehova. (Semb. 16:13, 14) Lamacembu etive abitwa ngekutsi ‘nguGogi waseveni lakaMagogi.’ Kutawutsi lapho tive tihlasela bantfu baJehova, itawubese iyacala-ke imphi ye-Amagedoni.—Semb. 16:16.

14. Yini Gogi latayibona?

¹⁴ Gogi utawetsembela ‘emkhonweni wakhe wenyama,’ lokulibutfo lakhe. (2 Khr. 32:8) Tsine sitawetsembela kuJehova Nkulunkulu wetfu, lokuyintfo letawubonakala ibulima etiveni. Ngetulu kwako konkhe, bonkulunkulu beBhabhulona Lenkhulu lebeyinemandla batawube bangakayisiti ‘kulesilo sasendle’ ‘nakuletimphondvo taso letilishumi!’ (Semb. 17:16) Ngako Gogi utawutitjela kutsi utawuncoba kamelula nje. “Njengelifu lelisibekela live,” utawuhlasela bantfu baJehova. (Hez. 38:16) Kodvwa ngekushesha utawubona kutsi sewutifake kulabilako. NjengaFaro ngesikhatsi  aseLwandle Lolubovu, Gogi utawubona kutsi ulwa naJehova.—Eks. 14:1-4; Hez. 38:3, 4, 18, 21-23.

15. Khristu utawuncoba njani emphini ye-Amagedoni?

¹⁵ Khristu kanye nemabutfo akhe asezulwini batawulwela bantfu baNkulunkulu futsi babhubhise Gogi nemabutfo akhe. (Semb. 19:11, 14, 15) Kodvwa kutawentekani ngaSathane lositsa lesikhulu saJehova, futsi losebentise emanga akhe kuze ente tive tilwe imphi ye-Amagedoni? Jesu utawujika Sathane nemadimoni akhe emgodzini longenamkhawulo lapho batawuvalelwa khona iminyaka leyinkhulungwane.—Semb. 20:1-3.

16. (a) Sikhombisa njani kutsi ‘siyamati Nkulunkulu’? (b) Kwati Jehova kutasizuzisa njani nge-Amagedoni?

¹⁶ Ngisho nobe sesineminyaka leminyenti sikhonta Nkulunkulu nobe sisandza kucala, kuze sisindze nge-Amagedoni kufanele sikhombise kutsi ‘siyamati Nkulunkulu’ nekutsi ‘silalela tindzaba letimnandzi letimayelana neNkhosi yetfu Jesu.’ (2 Thes. 1:7-9) Sisuke ‘simati Nkulunkulu’ nangabe sati lakutsandzako nalangakutsandzi futsi siyati nemitsetfo yakhe. Sikhombisa kutsi siyamati nalapho simtsandza, simlalela futsi sikhonta yena yedvwa. (1 Joh. 2:3-5; 5:3) Nasikhombisa kutsi siyamati Nkulunkulu, sitfola lilungelo ‘lekwatiwa nguye’ futsi loko kutasisindzisa nge-Amagedoni! (1 Khor. 8:3) Kanjani? Ngobe ‘nasatiwa nguye,’ kusho kutsi uyasemukela.

17. Kusho kutsini kulalela “tindzaba letimnandzi letimayelana neNkhosi yetfu Jesu”?

¹⁷ “Tindzaba letimnandzi letimayelana neNkhosi yetfu Jesu” tifaka ekhatsi onkhe emaciniso lawafundzisa, njengobe atfolakala eVini laNkulunkulu. Sisuke silalela letindzaba letimnandzi nangabe sikusebentisa ekuphileni kwetfu loko lesikufundzako. Kulalela kufaka ekhatsi kubeka uMbuso kucala ekuphileni kwetfu, kuphila ngekuvumelana netimiso taNkulunkulu letilungile, nekushumayela ngeMbuso waNkulunkulu. (Mat. 6:33; 24:14) Kufaka ekhatsi nekusita bomnakabo Khristu labagcotjiwe njengobe benta imisebenti yabo lebalulekile.—Mat. 25:31-40.

18. Bomnakabo Khristu labagcotjiwe batawubonga kanjani ngemusa labentelwe wona?

 ¹⁸ Ngekushesha, tinceku taNkulunkulu letigcotjiwe titawubonga ‘letinye timvu’ ngalo lonkhe lusito letibanike lona. (Joh. 10:16) Kanjani? Ngaphambi kwekutsi kucale imphi ye-Amagedoni, bonkhe labangu-144 000 batawube sebavuselwe ezulwini futsi sebanemitimba yemoya. Batawuba yincenye yemabutfo asezulwini latawubhubhisa Gogi futsi latawuvikela “sicumbi lesikhulu” sebantfu baJehova. (Semb. 2:26, 27; 7:9, 10) Sicumbi lesikhulu sitawujabula kakhulu ngekutsi sikhonile kusita tinceku taJehova letigcotjiwe ngesikhatsi tiselamhlabeni!

19-20. Ngisho nobe sinetinkinga, singahlala njani setsembekile njengobe i-Amagedoni isondzela?

¹⁹ Kulamalanga ekugcina lamatima, bantfu baJehova labanyenti babeketelela kuphatfwa kabi. Nobe kunjalo, singakhona kucinisela sibe sijabulile. (Jak. 1:2-4) Lokutasisita kakhulu kutsi sichubeke sithantaza. (Luk. 21:36) Kepha akukafanele sigcine ngekuthantaza, kufanele sitadishe liVi laNkulunkulu onkhe malanga, futsi sizindle ngalo nangetiphrofetho letikhuluma ngetintfo letitawenteka ngekushesha. (Hla. 77:12) Nangabe senta letintfo futsi sifaka emandla emsebentini wekushumayela, kukholwa kwetfu kanye nelitsemba letfu kutawucina!

²⁰ Asewucabange nje kutsi utawujabula kanjani naseyibhujisiwe iBhabhulona Lenkhulu, futsi seyengcile nemphi ye-Amagedoni! Cabanga nangekutsi utawujabula kanganani lapho bonkhe bantfu sebahlonipha libito laNkulunkulu kanye nelilungelo lakhe lekubusa! (Hez. 38:23) I-Amagedoni ita nalokuhle kodvwa kulabo labati Nkulunkulu, labalalela iNdvodzana yakhe futsi labatawucinisela kuze kube sekugcineni.—Mat. 24:13.