Eqinisweni, iBhayibheli loke limlayezo ovela kuZimu. UBabethu wezulwini usinikele lona bona lisinqophise. Nanyana kunjalo, akhucabange ngemilayezo emibili ekhethekileko eyethulwa eminyakeni engaba zi-2 000 edlulileko. Yethulwa yingilozi ekuthiwa nguGabhariyeli, ‘ejama phambi kwakaZimu.’ (Lukasi 1:19) Bekwenze njani ingilozi le nayizakuthula imilayezo eqakathekileko leyo?

Pheze kusele umnyaka munye ngaphambi kobana uJesu abelethwe. UGabhariyeli uwethula kuphi umlayezo wokuthoma? Emibundwini yeJudiya, mhlamunye eduze neJerusalema, kuhlala umphristi kaJehova okuthiwa nguZakariya. Yena nomkakhe, u-Elisabethi, sebaluphele begodu abanabantwana. Lidlhego lakaZakariya lokwenza isabelo sakhe sobuphristi ethempelini lakaZimu eJerusalema. Njengombana uZakariya asethempelini, nango uGabhariyeli avela kungakalindeleki eduze ne-aldara lepepho.

Lokho kumthusa khulu uZakariya. Kodwana ingilozi iyamthoba, ithi: “Ungasabi Zakariya, isibawo sakho sizwakele, umkakho u-Elisabethi uzokubeletha indodana, kufuze uyithiye ngokuthi nguJwanisi.” UGabhariyeli uraga ngokuthi uJwanisi ‘uzokuba mkhulu phambi kwakaJehova’ begodu ‘uzokulungiselela uJehova abantu abafanelekako.’—Lukasi 1:13-17.

Kubudisana kuZakariya ukuwakholwa amezwi lawo. Kubayini? Phela yena no-Elisabethi sebaluphele. Nje-ke uGabhariyeli uthi kuye: “Uzokuba simumu bekube lilanga okuzokwenzeka ngalo izintwezi, ngombana azange uwakholwe amezwami.”—Lukasi 1:20.

Ngesikhatheso, abantu ngaphandle bayazibuza ukuthi kubayini uZakariya athatha isikhathi eside kangaka ngaphakathi. Ngelikade uyaphuma, kodwana sekasimumu. UZakariya ukhuluma ngezandla kwaphela. Kusemtarini ukuthi ubone umbono ngesikhathi asethempelini.

Kwathi uZakariya nakaqeda umsebenzakhe ethempelini, wabuyela kwakhe. Msinyana ngemva kwalokho, u-Elisabethi uba sidisi! Nakasalindele ukubelethwa komntwanakhe, u-Elisabethi uhlala ekhaya iinyanga ezihlanu, angazihlanganisi nabantu.

Ngemva kwalokho, uGabhariyeli ubonakala ihlandla lesibili. Kubani? Entombini engakatjhadi ekuthiwa nguMariya, ehlala etlhagwini esifundeni esibizwa ngokuthi yiGalile, edorobheni leNazaretha. Ingilozi ithini kuye? Ithi: “Ufumene umusa kuZimu.” Nakaragako uGabhariyeli uthi kuMariya: “Qala, uzokuba sidisi ubelethe indodana, kufuze uyithiye ngokuthi nguJesu.” UGabhariyeli uyanaba uthi: “Yena uzokuba mkhulu, uzokubizwa ngokuthi yiNdodana yoPhezukoke, . . . uzokuba yiKosi phezu kwesizukulwana sakaJakopo ngokungapheliko, begodu umBuswakhe angekhe uphele.”—Lukasi 1:30-33.

Akhusucabange ngendlela uGabhariyeli azizwa amkhulu ngayo ngokufumana ilungelo lokwethula imilayezo emibili le. Njengombana sifunda okungeziweko ngoJwanisi noJesu, kuzokukhanya bha ukuthi kubayini imilayezo evela ezulwini le iqakatheke kangaka.