UElizabhete Unomntwana

Kwiminyaka engaphezu kweyi-400 iindonga zeYerusalem zakhiwe, umbingeleli ogama linguZekariya nomfazi wakhe, uElizabhete, babehlala kufutshane naloo dolophu. Kwakudlule iminyaka emininzi betshatile kodwa babengenaye nomnye umntwana. Ngenye imini, xa uZekariya wayeqhumisa kwitempile engcwele, kwabonakala ingelosi, uGabriyeli. UZekariya woyika. UGabriyeli wathi: ‘Sukoyika. Ndikuphathele iindaba ezimnandi ezivela kuYehova. UElizabhete, umfazi wakho, uza kuzala unyana yaye igama lakhe iza kuba nguYohane. UYehova ukhethe uYohane ukuba enze umsebenzi obalulekileyo.’ UZekariya wathi: ‘Yintoni eza kundenza ndiqiniseke ukuba yinyani le uyithethayo? Asinakuba nomntwana ngoku, sesibadala kakhulu.’ UGabriyeli wathi: ‘Ndithunywe nguThixo ukuba ndikuxelele ezi ndaba. Kodwa ngenxa yokuba awundikholelwa, awuzukwazi ukuthetha kude kuzalwe lo mntwana.’

UZekariya wahlala kwingcwele ixesha elide kunawayeqhele ukulihlala. Waphuma abantu bemlinde ngaphandle befuna ukwazi ukuba kwenzeke ntoni. Wayengakwazi ukuthetha. Wayethetha ngezandla. Emva koko, abantu baqonda ukuba uZekariya ufumene umyalezo ovela kuThixo.

Ekuhambeni kwexesha, kwenzeka kanye laa nto yayithethwe yingelosi, uElizabhete wakhulelwa waza wazala umntwana oyinkwenkwe. Abantu azalana nabo nabahlobo beza kubona umntwana lowo. Babevuya nyhani. UElizabhete wathi: ‘Igama lakhe iza kuba nguYohane.’ Bona bathi: ‘Akukho mntu unguYohane nje kwintsapho yakho. Mayibe nguZekariya, njengotata wakhe.’ Kodwa uZekariya wabhala wathi: ‘Igama lakhe nguYohane.’ Kanye ngelo xesha, uZekariya waqalisa ukuthetha! Iindaba ngalo mntwana zanwenwa kulo lonke elakwaYuda, abantu babezibuza besithi: ‘Uza kuba yintoni lo mntwana akuba mdala?’

Emva koko, uZekariya wazaliswa ngumoya oyingcwele. Waprofeta wathi: ‘Makubulelwe uYehova. Wathembisa uAbraham ukuba uza kusiphathela umsindisi, uMesiya. UYohane uza kuba ngumprofeti, uza kulungiselela uMesiya indlela.’

NakuMariya ozalana noElizabhete, kwenzeka into engaqhelekanga. Siza kufunda ngayo kwinqaku elilandelayo.