1, 2. Iyiphi impi enkulu ezayo, futhi kuphakama miphi imibuzo ngayo? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

SEKUPHELE izinkulungwane zeminyaka umhlaba ungcoliswe igazi labantu ababulawe empini, okuhlanganisa igazi elachitheka ezimpini zezwe ezimbili ezaba khona enkathini ephakathi konyaka ka-1901 kuya kunyaka ka-2000. Kodwa impi enkulu kunazo zonke emlandweni wabantu iseza. Le mpi ngeke ibe impi yabantu elwiwa yizizwe ngenxa yezizathu zobugovu. Kunalokho, iyoba ‘impi yosuku olukhulu lukaNkulunkulu uMninimandla Onke.’ (IsAm. 16:14) Isitha esiqhoshayo siyobangela le mpi ngokuhlasela izwe eliyigugu kuNkulunkulu; lokho kuhlasela kuyobangela ukuba iNkosi EnguMbusi, uJehova, ibonise amandla ayo amakhulu okubhubhisa angakaze abonakale emhlabeni.

² Lokhu kwenza sizibuze: Ubani lesi sitha? Yiliphi leli zwe esiyolihlasela? Kungani siyolihlasela? Siyolihlasela nini futhi kanjani? Njengoba lezi zenzakalo ezizayo zizosithinta thina esikhonza uJehova ngendlela emsulwa emhlabeni, kumelwe sizazi izimpendulo zale mibuzo. Izimpendulo singazithola esiprofethweni esijabulisayo esibhalwe kuHezekeli ezahlukweni 38 no-39.

3. Chaza amaphuzu ayinhloko esiprofetho sikaHezekeli esiphathelene noGogi wakwaMagogi.

 ³ Funda uHezekeli 38:1, 2, 8, 18; 39:4, 11. Nawa amaphuzu ayinhloko alesi siprofetho: “Engxenyeni yokugcina yeminyaka,” isitha esibizwa ngokuthi ‘uGogi wakwaMagogi’ sihlasela “izwe” labantu bakaNkulunkulu. Kodwa lokho kuhlasela okunonya kubangela ukuba uJehova abe ‘nolaka olukhulu’ angenele abe esenqoba uGogi. * UJehova ube esebangela ukuba ‘zonke izinhlobo zezinyoni ezidla inyama nezilwane zasendle’ zidle lesi sitha asinqobile, nabo bonke abanaso. Ekugcineni uJehova usho ‘indawo uGogi azongcwatshelwa kuyo.’ Ukuze siqonde ukuthi lesi siprofetho siyogcwaliseka kanjani esikhathini esizayo kudingeka siqale sazi ukuthi ungubani uGogi.

4. Singaphetha ngokuthini ngoGogi wakwaMagogi?

⁴ Ungubani uGogi wakwaMagogi? Kulokho okuchazwa uHezekeli singaphetha ngokuthi uGogi uyisitha salabo abakhonza uNkulunkulu ngendlela emsulwa. Ingabe igama elithi Gogi liyigama eliyisiprofetho likaSathane—isitha esikhulu kunazo zonke sendlela emsulwa yokukhonza uNkulunkulu? Sekuphele amashumi eminyaka izincwadi zethu zisho njalo. Nokho ukufundisisa isiprofetho sikaHezekeli kusenze sayilungisa indlela ebesiqonda ngayo. INqabayokulinda yachaza ukuthi isiqu esithi uGogi wakwaMagogi asibhekiseli esidalweni somoya esingabonakali, kunalokho sibhekisela esitheni esingumuntu—okuyizizwe eziyohlangana zilwe nabantu abakhonza uNkulunkulu ngendlela emsulwa. * Ngaphambi kokuba sifunde ngokuthi kungani siphetha kanjalo, ake siqale sihlole amaphuzu amabili asesiprofethweni sikaHezekeli, abonisa ukuthi uGogi akasona isidalwa somoya.

5, 6. Yini esesiprofethweni sikaHezekeli esitshela ukuthi uGogi wakwaMagogi akasona isidalwa somoya?

⁵ “Ngiyonikela ngawe ube ukudla kwazo zonke izinhlobo zezinyoni ezidla inyama.” (Hez. 39:4) ImiBhalo ivamile ukukhuluma ngezinyoni ezidla inyama lapho ixwayisa ngesahlulelo esivela kuNkulunkulu. UNkulunkulu wayesuke exwayisa ama-Israyeli noma ezinye izizwe ezingewona ama-Israyeli. (Dut. 28:26; Jer. 7:33; Hez. 29:3, 5) Nokho phawula ukuthi lezo zixwayiso zazinganikezwa izidalwa zomoya kodwa zazinikezwa abantu benyama negazi. Phela izilwane zasendle nezinyoni ezidla inyama azidli umoya zidla inyama. Ngakho lesi sixwayiso esivela kuNkulunkulu esisesiprofethweni sikaHezekeli sisitshela ukuthi uGogi akasona isidalwa somoya.

⁶ “Ngiyonika uGogi indawo yokungcwatshwa . . . kwa-Israyeli.” (Hez. 39:11) ImiBhalo ayisho ukuthi izidalwa zomoya zingcwatshwa emhlabeni. Kunalokho, uSathane namademoni akhe bayophonswa kwalasha iminyaka eyinkulungwane, ngemva kwalokho bayophonswa echibini lomlilo elingokomfanekiso okusho ukuthi bayobhujiswa phakade. (Luka 8:31; IsAm. 20:1-3, 10) Njengoba uGogi kukhulunywa ngaye njengonikezwa “indawo yokungcwatshwa” emhlabeni, singase siphethe ngokuthi akasona isidalwa somoya.

7, 8. Kuyophela nini ‘ngenkosi yasenyakatho,’ futhi lokho kufana kanjani nalokho okuyokwenzeka kuGogi wakwaMagogi?

 ⁷ Uma engesona isidalwa somoya, pho ungubani noma uyini uGogi, isitha esiyohlasela labo abakhonza uNkulunkulu ngendlela emsulwa okokugcina? Cabanga ngeziprofetho zeBhayibheli ezimbili ezisisiza sibone ukuthi ungubani uGogi wakwaMagogi.

⁸ “Inkosi yasenyakatho.” (Funda uDaniyeli 11:40-45.) UDaniyeli wabikezela imibuso yezwe kusukela osukwini lwakhe kuze kube sosukwini lwethu. Lesi siprofetho siphinde sikhulume ngemibuso yezepolitiki eyizitha—“inkosi yaseningizimu” ‘nenkosi yasenyakatho’—njengoba iminyaka iqhubeka bekulokhu kushintsha ukuthi inkosi ngayinye imelela bani njengoba izizwe zasemhlabeni bezilokhu zilwela amandla okubusa. Mayelana nokuhlasela kokugcina kwenkosi yasenyakatho “esikhathini sokuphela,” uDaniyeli wathi: “Iyophuma ngolaka olukhulu ukuze ibhuqe futhi iqothule abaningi.” Ngokuyinhloko inkosi yasenyakatho ilwisana nalabo abakhonza uJehova. * Kodwa, njengoGogi wakwaMagogi, ‘kuyaphela’ ngenkosi yasenyakatho lapho ihluleka ukuhlasela abantu bakaNkulunkulu.

9. Yikuphi ukufana okukhona phakathi kwalokho okwenzeka kuGogi wakwaMagogi nalokho okwenzeka “emakhosini omhlaba wonke owakhiwe”?

⁹ ‘Amakhosi omhlaba wonke owakhiwe.’ (Funda isAmbulo 16:14, 16; 17:14; 19:19, 20.) Incwadi yesAmbulo yabikezela ukuthi ‘amakhosi omhlaba’ ayeyohlasela “iNkosi yamakhosi,” uJesu osezulwini. Kodwa amakhosi omhlaba awakwazi ukumhlasela ngoba usezulwini, ngakho ahlasela abalandeli boMbuso abasemhlabeni. Amakhosi omhlaba azonqotshwa empini e-Armagedoni. Phawula ukuthi ayobhujiswa ngemva kokuhlasela abantu bakaJehova. Lokhu kuyafana nalokho okushiwo ngoGogi wakwaMagogi. *

10. Singaphetha ngokuthi ungubani uGogi wakwaMagogi?

¹⁰ Ngenxa yalokho esesixoxe ngakho, yini esingaphetha ngayo mayelana nokuthi ungubani uGogi? Okokuqala, uGogi akasona isidalwa somoya. Okwesibili, elithi Gogi libhekisela ezizweni zasemhlabeni ezizohlasela abantu bakaNkulunkulu esikhathini esiseduze esizayo. Akungabazeki ukuthi lezo zizwe zizohlangana zibambisane ekulweni. Kungani? Njengoba abantu bakaNkulunkulu betholakala emhlabeni wonke, izizwe kuyodingeka zibe nomgomo owodwa futhi zenze into eyodwa ukuze zibahlasele. (Math. 24:9) Ungadideki, nakuba kuyizizwe ezihlaselayo empeleni nguSathane ohlela lokho kuhlasela. Sekuyisikhathi eside ethonya izizwe ukuba ziphikise labo abakhonza uNkulunkulu ngeqiniso. (1 Joh. 5:19; IsAm. 12:17) Kodwa amazwi kaHezekeli ayisiprofetho mayelana nokuhlasela kukaGogi wakwaMagogi agxile kulokho izizwe ezisemhlabeni eziyokwenza lapho zihlasela abantu bakaJehova. *

11. Isiprofetho sikaHezekeli silichaza kanjani “izwe” uGogi ayolihlasela?

¹¹ Njengoba sifundile  esigabeni 3, uGogi wakwaMagogi uyokwenza uJehova abe nolaka olukhulu ngokuhlasela izwe eliyigugu kuJehova. Yiliphi leli zwe? Ake sibuyele esiprofethweni sikaHezekeli. (Funda uHezekeli 38:8-12.) Sithi uGogi ‘uyothatha izwe labantu ababuyisiwe’ ‘nabaqoqwe ezizweni.’ Phawula nalokho esikushoyo ngabantu abakhonza uNkulunkulu abahlala kuleli zwe: “Bahlala  ngokulondeka”; izindawo zabo ‘azivikelwe yizindonga, imigoqo noma amasango’; futhi ‘baqongelela umcebo.’ Leli izwe abantu abakhonza uJehova ngendlela emsulwa abahlala kulo emhlabeni wonke. Sazi kanjani?

12. Yini eyenzeka ezweni lakwa-Israyeli ngezikhathi zeBhayibheli?

¹² Kuyasiza ukucabanga ngokubuyiselwa okwenzeka kwa-Israyeli wasendulo, izwe okwase kungamakhulu eminyaka abantu bakaNkulunkulu behlala, besebenza, futhi bemkhonza kulo. Lapho ama-Israyeli engathembeki, uJehova esebenzisa uHezekeli wabikezela ukuthi izwe lawo laliyobhuqwa lisale liyincithakalo. (Hez. 33:27-29) Kodwa uJehova waprofetha nokuthi abasele abaphendukile babeyobuya ekudingisweni eBhabhiloni, babuyisele indlela emsulwa yokumkhonza ezweni. UJehova wayeyolibusisa izwe lakwa-Israyeli lishintshe libe lihle ‘lifane nensimu yase-Edene.’ (Hez. 36:34-36) Lokho kwenzeka kusukela ngo-537 B.C.E. lapho amaJuda ayedingisiwe ebuyela eJerusalema, ebuyisela indlela emsulwa yokukhonza uNkulunkulu ezweni lawo ayelithanda.

13, 14. (a) Liyini izwe elingokomfanekiso? (b) Kungani leli zwe liyigugu kuJehova?

¹³ Ezikhathini zanamuhla kwenzeka okufanayo kubantu abakhonza uNkulunkulu ngendlela emsulwa. Njengoba sifundile eSahlukweni 9 sale ncwadi, abantu bakaNkulunkulu bakhululwa ngo-1919 ekuthunjweni isikhathi eside yiBhabhiloni Elikhulu. Ngalowo nyaka uJehova wabaletha ezweni elingokomfanekiso abantu bakhe abase bemkhonza ngendlela emsulwa. Lelo zwe liyipharadesi elingokomfanekiso—indawo elondekile eyenza ubuhlobo bethu noNkulunkulu buchume, esikhonza kuyo uNkulunkulu weqiniso. Kuleli  zwe sihlala ndawonye ngokulondeka, sinokuthula kwengqondo nokwenhliziyo. (IzAga 1:33) Sithola ukudla okuningi okuthuthukisa ubuhlobo bethu noNkulunkulu futhi sinomsebenzi omkhulu esiwenzayo owanelisayo, wokumemezela uMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Ngempela, siyakubona ukuba yiqiniso kwalesi saga: “Yisibusiso sikaJehova esenza umuntu acebe, akenezeli ubuhlungu kanye naso.” (IzAga 10:22) Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sihlala kuphi emhlabeni, sisuke sikuleli zwe—ipharadesi elingokomfanekiso—uma nje sisekela indlela emsulwa yokukhonza uNkulunkulu ngamazwi nangezenzo.

¹⁴ Leli zwe elingokomfanekiso liyigugu kuJehova. Kungani? Kuye, abantu abahlala khona ‘bayizinto eziyigugu zazo zonke izizwe,’ abantu abadonsele endleleni emsulwa yokumkhonza. (Hag. 2:7; Joh. 6:44) Ngobuqotho bagqoka ubuntu obusha obubonisa izimfanelo zikaNkulunkulu eziphakeme. (Efe. 4:23, 24; 5:1, 2) Njengoba bemkhonza ngendlela emsulwa, bazinikela ngokugcwele enkonzweni yakhe, ngendlela ezomkhazimulisa futhi ibonise ukuthi bayamthanda. (Roma 12:1, 2; 1 Joh. 5:3) Singase sicabange ngenjabulo uJehova aba nayo enhliziyweni yakhe njengoba ebona lezi zikhonzi zakhe zisebenza kanzima ukuze zenze leli zwe elingokomfanekiso libe lihle. Cabanga nje: Uma ukukhonza uJehova ngendlela emsulwa kuba yinto ebaluleke kunazo zonke ekuphileni kwakho, awugcini nje ngokwenza ipharadesi elingokomfanekiso libe lihle kodwa wenza nenhliziyo kaJehova ijabule!—IzAga 27:11.

15, 16. UGogi wakwaMagogi uyolihlasela nini izwe lethu elingokomfanekiso?

¹⁵ Ukwazi ukuthi maduze izizwe zomhlaba zizohlangana zihlasele izwe lethu elingokomfanekiso eliyigugu kusenza sicabangisise ngale ndaba. Njengoba lokhu kuhlasela okubikezelwe kuzosithinta nathi esikhonza uJehova ngendlela emsulwa sifisa ukwazi okwengeziwe ngako. Kusenza sizibuze imibuzo emithathu elandelayo.

¹⁶ UGogi wakwaMagogi uyolihlasela nini izwe lethu elingokomfanekiso elibuyiselwe? Isiprofetho siyaphendula: “Engxenyeni yokugcina yeminyaka uyothatha izwe.” (Hez. 38:8) Lokhu kusho isikhathi esiseduze nokuphela kwalesi simiso salezi zinto. Khumbula ukuthi usizi olukhulu luyoqala ngokubhujiswa kweBhabhiloni Elikhulu, umbuso wenkolo yamanga. Ngemva kokuba inkolo yamanga isibhujisiwe kodwa ngaphambi kokuba i-Armagedoni iqale, uGogi uyobahlasela okokugcina labo abakhonza uNkulunkulu ngeqiniso.

17, 18. UJehova uyoziqondisa kanjani izinto phakathi nosizi olukhulu?

¹⁷ Kungani uGogi eyohlasela izwe labantu abakhonza uJehova ngendlela emsulwa? Isiprofetho sikaHezekeli sisitshela ngezinto ezimbili—eyokuqala, indlela uJehova aqondisa ngayo izinto, eyesibili, izisusa ezimbi zikaGogi.

 ¹⁸ Indlela uJehova aqondisa ngayo izinto. (Funda uHezekeli 38:4, 16.) Phawula lokho uJehova akusho kuGogi: ‘Ngiyofaka amahhuku emihlathini yakho’ futhi “ngiyokuletha umelane nezwe lami.” Ingabe lawo mazwi asho ukuthi uJehova uyophoqa izizwe ukuba zihlasele abantu abamkhonzayo? Akunjalo! Akasoze abangela abantu bakhe ukuba behlelwe okubi. (Jobe 34:12) Kodwa uJehova uyazazi izitha zakhe—uyazi ukuthi ziyabazonda abantu abamkhonza ngendlela emsulwa futhi ngeke ziliyeke ithuba lokuzama ukubaqeda. (1 Joh. 3:13) UJehova uyoqondisa izinto ukuze zenzeke ngokuvumelana nentando yakhe nesikhathi sakhe, kube sengathi ufaka amahhuku emihlathini kaGogi, uyamhola. Esikhathini esithile ngemva kokubhujiswa kweBhabhiloni Elikhulu, ngandlela-thile uJehova angase adonse izizwe ukuba zenze lokho okusezinhliziyweni zazo. Kanjalo uJehova uyobe esehlele izinto ukuze kuqale ukuhlasela okuyoholela e-Armagedoni, impi yomhlaba enkulu kunazo zonke. Ngemva kwalokho, uyokhulula abantu bakhe, akhazimulise ubukhosi bakhe, angcwelise negama lakhe elingcwele.—Hez. 38:23.

19. Yini ezokwenza uGogi afune ukusiphuca umcebo wethu?

¹⁹ Izisusa ezimbi zikaGogi. Izizwe ‘ziyokwakha icebo elibi.’ Ziyofuna ukubonisa intukuthelo nenzondo ebezilokhu zinayo ngabantu  abakhonza uJehova, abayobonakala bengavikelekile sengathi ‘bahlala ezindaweni ezingavikelwe yizindonga, imigoqo noma amasango.’ Izizwe ziyofuna ‘nokuthatha impango eningi’ kulabo ‘abaqongelela umcebo.’ (Hez. 38:10-12) Muphi “umcebo”? Abantu bakaJehova bacebe kakhulu uma kuziwa ebuhlotsheni babo naye. Into eyigugu kunazo zonke kithi ukuthi sikhonza uJehova kuphela ngendlela emsulwa. Izizwe ziyofuna ukusiphuca lowo mcebo wethu, hhayi ngoba ziwuthanda kodwa ngoba ziwuzonda futhi zizonda wonke umuntu onawo.

20. UGogi uyolihlasela kanjani izwe noma ipharadesi elingokomfanekiso?

²⁰ UGogi uyolihlasela kanjani izwe noma ipharadesi elingokomfanekiso? Izizwe zingase zizame ukuphazamisa indlela esiphila ngayo, zizame nokusiyekisa ukukhonza uNkulunkulu. Ukuze zikwenze lokho mhlawumbe ziyozama ukuphazamisa indlela esithola ngayo ukudla okuqinisa ubuhlobo bethu noNkulunkulu, zizame ukusiyekisa ukuhlangana ndawonye, ukuqeda ubunye bethu esibujabulelayo nokusivimba ukuba singashumayeli umyalezo kaNkulunkulu ngentshiseko. Zonke lezo zinto zakha ipharadesi lethu elingokomfanekiso. USathane uyokwenza izizwe zizame ukuqeda bonke abakhonza uNkulunkulu ngeqiniso emhlabeni, kanye nendlela emsulwa yokukhonza uNkulunkulu.

21. Kungani ubonga ngokuthi uJehova usixwayisile ngalokho okuzokwenzeka maduzane?

²¹ Ukuhlasela okuzayo kukaGogi wakwaMagogi kuzothinta bonke abakhonza ngeqiniso ezweni elingokomfanekiso abalinikwe uNkulunkulu. Asive sibonga ngokuthi uJehova usixwayisile ngalokho okuseza! Okwamanje, njengoba silinde usizi olukhulu kwangathi singazimisela ukuqhubeka sikhonza uNkulunkulu ngendlela emsulwa futhi sikwenze kube yinto ebaluleke kunazo zonke ekuphileni kwethu. Ngokwenza kanjalo siyoba nesandla ekwenzeni izwe lethu elingokomfanekiso libe lihle manje. Sizozibeka nasethubeni lokubona into emangalisa kakhulu ezokwenzeka maduzane: Indlela uJehova azolwela ngayo abantu bakhe negama lakhe elingcwele e-Armagedoni njengoba isahluko esilandelayo sizochaza.