1, 2. Iyiphi impi yangempela esisemnyango, futhi yini izinceku zikaNkulunkulu okungeke kudingeke ziyenze kule mpi?

NGO-OCTOBER 30, 1938, izigidi zabantu e-United States zazilalele uhlelo lomsakazo oluthandwayo lwemidlalo ezigcawugcawu. Umdlalo wangalobo busuku wawuthathelwe endabeni eqanjiwe yesayensi yencwadi ethi The War of the Worlds. Abadlali ababelingisa abasakazi bachaza ukufika emhlabeni kwebutho elivela kuyiplanethi iMars elalizobhubhisa umhlaba. Nakuba kwakushiwo ukuthi lolo hlelo olwalusakazwa luwumdlalo, izilaleli eziningi zacabanga ukuthi kwakuwukuhlasela kwangempela lokhu, futhi zethuka. Ezinye zaze zathatha nezinyathelo ezithile zizama ukuzivikela ezidalweni ezingekho ezivela kwenye iplanethi.

² Namuhla kunempi yangempela esisemnyango. Nokho, abantu abathathi zinyathelo zokusinda kuyo. Le mpi ayibikezelwa encwadini yendaba eqanjiwe yesayensi, kodwa eZwini likaNkulunkulu eliphefumulelwe, iBhayibheli. Yimpi ye-Armagedoni—impi kaNkulunkulu emelene nalesi simiso esibi sezinto. (IsAm. 16:14-16) Kule mpi, izikhonzi zikaNkulunkulu emhlabeni ngeke kudingeke ukuba zizivikele ekuhlaselweni izidalwa zakwenye iplanethi. Noma kunjalo, ziyokhexiswa izenzakalo ezimangalisayo nawukubonakaliswa kwamandla kaNkulunkulu okuthuthumelisayo.

3. Isiphi isiprofetho esizoxoxa ngaso, futhi kungani sinesithakazelo kuso?

³ Isiprofetho seBhayibheli esilotshwe kuZakariya isahluko 14 sihlobene ngokuqondile nempi ye-Armagedoni. Nakuba salotshwa eminyakeni engaba ngu-2 500 edlule, lesi siprofetho sikuthinta ngqo, ukuphila kwethu. (Roma 15:4) Okuningi okukulesi siprofetho kuhlobana nezimo ebezilokhu zithinta abantu bakaNkulunkulu kusukela kwamiswa uMbuso kaMesiya ezulwini ngo-1914 nanezenzakalo ezijabulisayo ezizokwenzeka esikhathini esingeside kusukela manje. Izici eziphawulekayo zalesi siprofetho zihlanganisa ukwakhiwa  ‘kwesigodi esikhulu kakhulu’ nokuphuma ‘kwamanzi aphilayo.’ (Zak. 14:4, 8) Lesi sigodi sinendima ebalulekile ekuvikeleni abakhulekeli bakaJehova. Uma siqonda ukuthi angasho ukuthini kithi amanzi aphilayo, ngeke sigcine nje ngokubona isidingo sokuwaphuza kodwa futhi siyofuna ukuwaphuza. Ngakho-ke, kungokwenzuzo yethu ukusinakisisa lesi siprofetho.—2 Pet. 1:19, 20.

4. (a) Lwaqala nini ‘usuku olungolukaJehova’? (b) Kusasele amashumi eminyaka ngaphambi kuka-1914, yini eyayimenyezelwa abakhulekeli bakaJehova, futhi basabela kanjani abaholi bezwe?

⁴ Isahluko 14 sikaZakariya siqala ngokubhekisela ‘osukwini olungolukaJehova.’ (Funda uZakariya 14:1, 2.) Luyini lolu suku? ‘Luwusuku lweNkosi,’ olwaqala lapho “umbuso wezwe” uba ‘umbuso weNkosi yethu nokaKristu.’ (IsAm. 1:10; 11:15) Lolo suku lwaqala ngo-1914 lapho kuzalwa uMbuso kaMesiya emazulwini. Kusasele amashumi eminyaka ngaphambi kuka-1914, abakhulekeli bakaJehova bamemezela ezizweni ukuthi ukuphela ‘kwezikhathi ezimisiwe zezizwe’ kwakuzoba ngalowo nyaka nokuthi umhlaba wawuzongena enkathini yezinkinga engakaze ibe khona emlandweni. (Luka 21:24) Zasabela kanjani izizwe? Kunokuba balalele leso sixwayiso esasifike ngesikhathi, abaholi bezombusazwe nabenkolo badelela futhi bashushisa labo bashumayeli abagcotshiwe abashisekayo. Ngokwenza kanjalo, laba baholi bezwe babedelela uNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke uqobo, ngoba amanxusa oMbuso agcotshiwe amelela “iJerusalema lasezulwini,” eliwuMbuso kaMesiya ayingxenye yawo.—Heb. 12:22, 28.

5, 6. (a) Yisiphi isinyathelo esabikezelwa esathathwa izizwe ngokumelene ‘nomuzi’ ‘nezakhamuzi’ zawo? (b) Babengobani “abaseleyo kubantu”?

⁵ UZakariya wabikezela isinyathelo esasiyothathwa yizizwe, lapho ethi: “Umuzi [iJerusalema] uyothunjwa impela.” “Umuzi” ufanekisela uMbuso kaMesiya kaNkulunkulu. Emhlabeni umelelwa ‘izakhamuzi’ zawo, insali yamaKristu agcotshiwe. (Fil. 3:20) Phakathi neMpi Yezwe I, amalungu avelele engxenye esemhlabeni yenhlangano kaJehova ‘athunjwa,’ noma aboshwa, athunyelwa ejele elise-Atlanta, eGeorgia, e-U.S.A. ‘Izindlu zaphangwa’ ngomqondo wokuthi lezi zikhonzi nezinye eziqotho zabhekana nokungabikho kobulungisa nokuhlukunyezwa. Abahlaseli baphanga ingcebo eyithonya, insali eyayinalo ngokwenqabela izincwadi zayo nangokuvimbela umsebenzi wayo njengabamemezeli boMbuso.

⁶ Nakuba babembalwa abantu bakaNkulunkulu, bekhulunywa kabi, bephikiswa futhi beshushiswa abahlaseli babo, ukukhulekela kweqiniso akuzange kuqedwe. Babekhona “abaseleyo kubantu,” abayinsali egcotshiwe eyenqaba ngobuqotho ‘ukunqunywa emzini.’

7. Inkambo yoFakazi BakaJehova abagcotshiwe ibabekela siphi isibonelo bonke abakhulekeli beqiniso namuhla?

⁷ Ingabe lesi siprofetho sase sigcwaliseke ngokuphelele lapho kuphela iMpi Yezwe I? Cha. Kwakusazoba nokuhlasela okwengeziwe okuvela ezizweni okubhekiswe ensalini egcotshiwe kanye nabangane bayo abaqotho abanethemba lasemhlabeni. (IsAm. 12:17) IMpi Yezwe II iwubufakazi balokho. Inkambo yokulondoloza ubuqotho yoFakazi bakaNkulunkulu abathembekile abagcotshiwe iqhubezela izinceku zikaNkulunkulu namuhla ukuba zikhuthazelele noma yiluphi uvivinyo ezibhekana nalo, kuhlanganise nokuphikiswa izihlobo ezingakholwa, abantu ezisebenza nabo noma ezifunda nabo esikoleni abazihlekayo ngenxa yokholo lwazo. (1 Pet. 1:6, 7) Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi bahlala kuphi, abakhulekeli beqiniso bazimisele kakhulu kunangaphambili ‘ukuma  baqinile emoyeni munye,’ ‘bangethuswa nangayiphi indlela abaphikisi babo.’ (Fil. 1:27, 28) Kodwa-ke, abantu bakaJehova bayokuthola kuphi ukulondeka kuleli zwe elibazondayo?—Joh. 15:17-19.

8. (a) Izintaba zingafanekiselani eBhayibhelini? (b) Imelelani ‘intaba yeminqumo’?

⁸ Njengoba iJerusalema—“umuzi”—lifanekisela iJerusalema lasezulwini, ‘intaba yeminqumo ephambi kweJerusalema,’ nayo kufanele ibhekwe njengengokomfanekiso. Imelelani leyo ntaba? ‘Iyoqhekeka phakathi’ ngayiphi indlela ibe yizintaba ezimbili? Kungani uJehova ebiza lezo zintaba ngokuthi ‘izintaba zami’? (Funda uZakariya 14:3-5.) EBhayibhelini, izintaba zingamelela imibuso noma ohulumeni. Intaba kaNkulunkulu ibuye ihlotshaniswe nezibusiso nesivikelo. (IHu. 72:3; Isaya 25:6, 7) Ngakho, intaba yeminqumo uNkulunkulu ami kuyo ngasempumalanga yeJerusalema lasemhlabeni imelela ubukhosi bukaJehova bendawo yonke, ububusi bakhe obuphakeme kakhulu.

9. Iqhekeka ngamuphi umqondo ‘intaba yeminqumo’?

⁹ Kubonisani ukuqhekeka kwentaba yeminqumo? Le ntaba, engasempumalanga yeJerusalema, iqhekeka ngomqondo wokuthi uJehova umisa obunye ububusi, obungaphansana. Lobu bubusi besibili uMbuso kaMesiya osezandleni zikaJesu Kristu. Yingakho uJehova ebiza lezi zintaba ezimbili ezibe umphumela wokuqhekeka “kwentaba yeminqumo” ngokuthi ‘izintaba zakhe.’ (Zak. 14:4.) Zombili zingezakhe.

10. “Isigodi esikhulu kakhulu” esiphakathi kwezintaba ezimbili simelelani?

¹⁰ Lapho le ntaba engokomfanekiso iqhekeka, enye ingxenye iba ngasenyakatho nenye iba ngaseningizimu, izinyawo zikaJehova ziyaqhubeka zikuzo zombili. Kuba khona “isigodi esikhulu kakhulu” ngaphansi kwezinyawo zikaJehova. Lesi sigodi esingokomfanekiso simelela isivikelo esivela kuNkulunkulu, izinceku zikaJehova ezithola kuso ukuphepha ngaphansi kobukhosi bakhe bendawo yonke noMbuso kaMesiya iNdodana yakhe. UJehova uyoqinisekisa ukuthi ukukhulekela okumsulwa akushatshalaliswa. Kwenzeka nini lokhu kuqhekeka kwentaba yeminqumo? Kwenzeka ngesikhathi uMbuso kaMesiya umiswa ekupheleni kweZikhathi Zabezizwe ngo-1914. Abakhulekeli beqiniso baqala nini ukubalekela esigodini esingokomfanekiso?

11, 12. (a) Kwaqala nini ukubalekela esigodini esingokomfanekiso? (b) Yini ebonisa ukuthi ingalo kaJehova enamandla inabantu bakhe?

¹¹ UJesu waxwayisa abalandeli bakhe: “Niyoba yizinto zokuzondwa yizizwe zonke ngenxa yegama lami.” (Math. 24:9) Leyo nzondo iye yakhula phakathi nezinsuku zokugcina zalesi simiso sezinto, ikakhulu ukusukela ngo-1914. Naphezu kokuhlaselwa okukhulu kwensali yabagcotshiwe yizitha zayo phakathi neMpi Yezwe I, amalungu aleli qembu elithembekile awazange aqedwe. Ngo-1919 akhululwa eBhabhiloni Elikhulu—umbuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga. (IsAm. 11:11, 12) * Kwaqala ngaleso sikhathi ukubalekela esigodini sezintaba zikaJehova.

¹² Kusukela ngo-1919 isigodi sesivikelo saphezulu siyaqhubeka sivikela abakhulekeli beqiniso emhlabeni wonke. Phakathi namashumi eminyaka edlule, ezingxenyeni eziningi zomhlaba, kuye kwaba nokuvinjelwa kwenkonzo yasensimini nezincwadi zeBhayibheli zoFakazi BakaJehova. Ukuvinjelwa okunjalo kusekhona emazweni athile. Nokho, noma zingazama kanjani, izizwe ngeke ziphumelele ekushabalaliseni ukukhulekela kweqiniso! Ingalo  kaJehova enamandla iyoba nabantu bakhe.—Dut. 11:2.

13. Sihlala kanjani esigodini sikaJehova sesivikelo, futhi kungani ukuhlala kuso kubaluleke kakhulu manje kunanini ngaphambili?

¹³ Uma sinamathela kuJehova futhi sima siqine eqinisweni, yena neNdodana yakhe, uJesu Kristu, bayofeza ingxenye yabo, futhi uNkulunkulu ngeke avumele noma ubani nanoma yini ukuba ‘isihlwithe esandleni saKhe.’ (Joh. 10:28, 29) UJehova ukulungele ukusinika noma iluphi usizo esiludingayo ukuze sikwazi ukumlalela njengoMbusi Wendawo Yonke futhi sihlale siyizikhonzi ezithembekile zoMbuso kaMesiya. Kubalulekile ukuba sihlale esigodini sesivikelo, ngoba lesi sigodi siyobaluleka nakakhulu kubakhulekeli beqiniso phakathi nosizi olukhulu olusondela ngokushesha.

14, 15. ‘Ngosuku lukaNkulunkulu lokulwa’ nezitha zakhe, siyoba yini isimo salabo abangaphandle kwesigodi sesivikelo?

¹⁴ Njengoba ukuphela kwalesi simiso sezinto kusondela, uSathane uyoqinisa ukuhlasela kwakhe izinceku zikaJehova. Kuyobe sekufika ‘usuku [lukaNkulunkulu] lokulwa’ nezitha zakhe. UJehova uyoqinisekisa ukuthi okunye ukuhlasela kukaSathane kuba ngokokugcina ngci. Ngalolo suku, uMbusi wendawo yonke uyozibonakalisa eyiQhawe elikhulu kunanganoma yiluphi olunye ‘usuku lokulwa’ oludlule.—Zak. 14:3.

¹⁵ Ngosuku lwempi kaNkulunkulu, siyoba yini isimo salabo abangaphandle ‘kwesigodi esikhulu’ sesivikelo? Ngeke babe ‘nokukhanya okuyigugu’ kokwamukelwa nguNkulunkulu. Ngalolo suku lwempi oluzayo, “ihhashi, umnyuzi, ikamela, nembongolo yeduna nazo zonke izinhlobo zezilwane ezifuywayo”—izinto ezifanekisela izikhali zempi zezizwe—ziyokhinyabezeka. Izikhali zempi ezinjalo “ziyojiya,” zingasebenzi njengokungathi zomiswe amakhaza. UJehova uyophinde asebenzise isifo esiwumshayabhuqe ‘nenhlupho noma isishayo.’ Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ngokoqobo noma cha, leyo nhlupho iyoqeda izinsongo ezesabekayo. Ngalolo suku, ‘amehlo omuntu nolimi lwakhe kuyobola’ ngomqondo wokuthi abahlaseli bayogalela ezeni futhi inkulumo yabo yokwedelela iyothuliswa. (Zak. 14:6, 7, 12, 15) Ayikho ingxenye yomhlaba eyophunyuka ekubhubhisweni. Amabutho angasohlangothini lukaSathane kuleyo mpi ayobe emaningi kakhulu. (IsAm. 19:19-21) “Ababulewe nguJehova ngalolo suku ngokuqinisekile bayosukela komunye umkhawulo womhlaba kuze kube komunye umkhawulo womhlaba.”—Jer. 25:32, 33.

16. Njengoba usuku lukaNkulunkulu lwempi lusondela, yimiphi imibuzo okufanele sicabange ngayo, futhi yini okuyodingeka siyenze?

¹⁶ Impi ihlale iletha ukuhlupheka, ngisho nakulabo abaphumelelayo ekugcineni. Ukudla kungase kube kuncane kakhulu. Abantu bangase balahlekelwe izinto zabo. Izinga lokuphila lingase lehle. Inkululeko yomuntu ingase ibekelwe imingcele. Uma ubunzima obunjalo busehlela, siyosabela kanjani? Ingabe siyoba netwetwe? Ingabe siyoluphika ukholo ngenxa yokucindezelwa? Ingabe siyolahlekelwa ithemba sidikibale? Yeka ukuthi kuyobaluleka kanjani phakathi nosizi olukhulu ukulondoloza ukholo lwethu emandleni kaJehova okusindisa nokuhlala esigodini sikaJehova sesivikelo!—Funda uHabakuki 3:17, 18.

17, 18. (a) Ayini “amanzi aphilayo”? (b) Lumelelani ‘ulwandle olungasempumalanga’ ‘nolwandle olungasentshonalanga’? (c) Njengoba ubheke phambili esikhathini esizayo, yini ozimisele ukuyenza?

¹⁷ Ngemva kwe-Armagedoni, “amanzi aphilayo” ayogeleza ngokuqhubekayo ephuma esihlalweni soMbuso kaMesiya.  La “manzi aphilayo” angamalungiselelo kaJehova okuphila. “Ulwandle olungasempumalanga” lubhekisela oLwandle Olufile bese kuthi ‘ulwandle olusentshonalanga’ lubhekisele oLwandle iMedithera. Zombili zibhekisela kubantu. ULwandle Olufile lungamelela kahle labo abasethuneni elivamile laso sonke isintu. Njengoba uLwandle iMedithera lugcwele izinto eziphilayo, lungamelela kahle “isixuku esikhulu” sabasinde e-Armagedoni. (Funda uZakariya 14:8, 9; IsAm. 7:9-15) Ngakho omabili la maqembu ayozuza ngokukhululwa esiqalekisweni sokufa okwabangelwa u-Adamu njengoba eqeda ukoma kwawo ngamanzi aphilayo angokomfanekiso, noma “umfula wamanzi okuphila.”—IsAm. 22:1, 2.

¹⁸ Ngaphansi kwesivikelo sikaJehova, siyosinda lapho lesi simiso sezinto esibi sibhujiswa futhi singene ezweni elisha likaNkulunkulu elinokulunga. Nakuba siyizinto zokuzondwa yizizwe zonke, masizimisele ukuhlale siyizikhonzi ezithembekile zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu, sizimisele kunanini ngaphambili ukuhlala esigodini sikaJehova sesivikelo.