U-Elizabethi Uba Nomntwana | Izifundo Zezingane EziseBhayibheliniKwase kudlule iminyaka engaphezu kuka-400 izindonga zaseJerusalema zakhiwe kabusha. UZakariya owayengumpristi nomkakhe u-Elizabethi, babehlala eduze nedolobha laseJerusalema. Kwase kuphele iminyaka eminingi beshadile kodwa bengenazo izingane. Ngolunye usuku kwathi uZakariya esashisa impepho ethempelini, kwabonakala kuye ingelosi uGabriyeli. UZakariya wethuka kodwa uGabriyeli wathi: ‘Ungesabi. Ngikulethele izindaba ezinhle ezivela kuJehova. Umkakho u-Elizabethi, uzozala indodana futhi igama layo kuzoba uJohane. UJehova ukhethe uJohane ukuba enze umsebenzi obalulekile.’ UZakariya wabuza: ‘Ngingakukholwa kanjani? Mina nomkami sesiguge kakhulu ukuthi singaba nengane.’ UGabriyeli wathi: ‘UNkulunkulu ongithumile ukuba ngikutshele lezi zindaba. Kodwa ngenxa yokuthi awungikholwa, ngeke ukwazi ukukhuluma kuze kuzalwe ingane.’Ngalolo suku uZakariya wahlala isikhathi eside ethempelini. Lapho ephuma ekugcineni, abantu ababelinde ngaphandle babefuna ukwazi ukuthi kwenzekeni. UZakariya wayengakwazi ukukhuluma. Wayekhuluma ngezandla kuphela. Abantu babona ukuthi uZakariya uthole umyalezo ovela kuNkulunkulu.Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, uElizabethi wakhulelwa wazala ingane yomfana, njengoba nje ingelosi yayishilo. Abangane bakhe nezihlobo bafika bezobona umntwana. Babejabule kakhulu. U-Elizabethi wathi: ‘Igama lakhe uJohane.’ Bathi: ‘Akekho emndenini obizwa ngokuthi uJohane. Mqambe ngokuthi uZakariya, igama likababa wakhe.’ Kodwa uZakariya wabhala phansi ukuthi: ‘Igama lakhe uJohane.’ Ngaso leso sikhathi, uZakariya waphinde wakwazi ukukhuluma! Indaba yale ngane yasakazeka kulo lonke elaseJudiya, futhi abantu babezibuza: ‘Kazi le ngane izokhula ibe njani?’UZakariya wabe esethola umoya ongcwele. Waprofetha: ‘Makadunyiswe uJehova. Wathembisa u-Abrahama ukuthi uzothumela umsindisi, uMesiya, ozosisindisa. UJohane uzoba umprofethi futhi uzolungiselela uMesiya indlela.’NakuMariya isihlobo sika-Elizabethi kwenzeka into emangalisayo. Ake sithole ukuthi yini leyo esahlukweni esilandelayo.“Kubantu lokhu akunakwenzeka, kodwa kuNkulunkulu zonke izinto zingenzeka.”—Mathewu 19:26Imibuzo: UGabriyeli wamtshela ukuthini uZakariya? Yimuphi umsebenzi okhethekile owawuzokwenziwa uJohane?Mathewu 11:7-14; Luka 1:5-25, 57-79; Isaya 40:3; Malaki 3:1UJohane wakhula waba umprofethi. Wafundisa ukuthi uMesiya uyeza. Yini abantu abayenza lapho bezwa umyalezo wakhe?
