UElizabhete seza kubeleka. Seyiziinyanga ezintathu ngoku ehlala noMariya. Ngoku, uMariya ulungiselela ukuhamba indlela ende egodukayo esiya eNazarete. Naye uza kuba nomntwana kwiinyanga ezintandathu.

Emva nje kokumka kukaMariya, uElizabhete uyabeleka. Bobabini yena noZekariya bayavuya kuba ebeleke kakuhle nomntwana esempilweni! Xa uElizabhete ebonisa abamelwane nabantu azalana nabo usana lwakhe, bavuyisana naye.

UMthetho KaThixo kumaSirayeli wawusithi umntwana oyinkwenkwe kufuneka oluswe ngosuku lwesibhozo aze athiywe igama. (Levitikus 12:2, 3) Abanye bathi lo mntwana kufuneka athiywe ngoZekariya. Kodwa uElizabhete uthi: “Hayini! lo mntwana uza kuba nguYohane.” (Luka 1:60) Khumbula ukuba ingelosi enguGabriyeli ibithe lo mntwana kufuneka athiywe igama elinguYohane.

Abamelwane nabantu azalana nabo abafuni nokuva bathi: “Akukho nomnye kubantu ozalana nabo onelo gama.” (Luka 1:61) Bathetha ngezandla baze babuze uZekariya ukuba ufuna ukumthiya eliphi igama unyana wakhe. UZekariya ucela iplanga aze abhale athi: “Igama lakhe nguYohane.”​—Luka 1:63.

Emva koko uZekariya uvela akwazi ukuthetha. Ukuba uyakhumbula uyeke ukuthetha emva kokuba engakhange ayikholelwe ingelosi xa ibisithi uElizabhete uza kuba nonyana. Ngoku bayothuka abamelwane bakhe xa bemva ethetha baze bazibuze bathi: “Inokuba uza kuba yintoni lo mntwana.” (Luka 1:66) Bayabona ukuba nguThixo obenza bamthiya eli gama.

UZekariya ufikelwa ngumoya oyingcwele aze athi: “Makadunyiswe uYehova uThixo kaSirayeli, kuba ebakhumbule abantu bakhe waza wabasindisa. Uye wasinika uphondo oluza kusisindisa  oluphuma kwindlu yomkhonzi wakhe uDavide.” (Luka 1:68, 69) “Uphondo oluza kusisindisa” athetha ngalo yiNkosi uYesu ongekazalwa. UZekariya uthi uThixo uza kusebenzisa uYesu ukuze ‘asisindise kwiintshaba zethu aze asivumele simkhonze singenaxhala, ngokuthembeka nangobulungisa ubomi bethu bonke.’​—Luka 1:74, 75.

UZekariya uchaza umsebenzi oza kwenziwa ngunyana wakhe esithi: “Wena nyana wam, uza kubizwa ngokuba ungumprofeti Woyena Uphakamileyo, kuba uza kuhamba phambi koYehova, ulungise iindlela zakhe, ufundise ukuba uThixo uza kubasindisa abantu bakhe, ngokuxolela izono zabo, ngenxa yendlela anobubele ngayo. Ngenxa yoko siza kutsho sibone ukukhanya kuvela ezulwini, njengokuthi qheke kokusa, ukuze kukhanyisele abo bahleli ebumnyameni nakwithunzi lokufa, nokuze kusikhokelele eluxolweni.” (Luka 1:76-79) Sikhuthaza nyhani esi siprofeto!

Ngeli xesha noMariya ongekatshati sefikile eNazarete. Kuza kwenzeka ntoni kuye xa kucaca ukuba ukhulelwe?