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Archangel Gabriel medal
2.5cm long x 1.5cm wide
Medals may differ
If
you've heard the Christmas story, chances are you recognize Gabriel as
the name of the angel who brought Mary the news that she would become
pregnant and give birth to Jesus.However, Gabriel is active in other places in the
Bible
as well, bringing prophetic words from the Lord to God's faithful.
Gabriel is first mentioned by name in
Daniel 8:16
.
At this time, Daniel (of the lion's den fame) was living in Babylon
where the Jews were in exile. As the book of Daniel records, though
Daniel had been taken into exile and the service of the Babylonian king,
he stayed true to his faith and gained great favor, becoming a powerful
man who was also loyal to God.Daniel
had many visions of the future. It was after one such vision that the
angel Gabriel visited him. Gabriel was called upon to explain the
meaning of the vision to Daniel, illuminating what was to come.Gabriel returned at least once more, in
Daniel 9
. He was sent in response to Daniel's prayer and came to give him "insight and understanding" (
Daniel 9:22
). In this encounter, Gabriel pointed ahead to the "Anointed One," a name for the Messiah, who would be Jesus.
Gabriel may have spoken to Daniel again, but it is unclear because the angel of
Daniel 10
is not named.
The
book of Luke, one of the four Gospels, opens after a short introduction
with the story of Zechariah, a priest. Luke records that Zechariah and
his wife, Elizabeth, were "righteous in the sight of God" (
Luke 1:6
).
One
day, as Zechariah went into the temple to burn incense before God, "an
angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the
altar of incense" (
Luke 1:11
). This angel was Gabriel. Gabriel gave Zechariah the news that his wife, Elizabeth, would bear a son.
This
seemed outlandish, as both were old and Elizabeth had been unable to
have children, but Gabriel told Zechariah that he was to name the son
John. Gabriel set out special directives for John and told Zechariah
that John would bring back many to God and would prepare the way for the
Lord that "Lord" being Jesus, whose birth Gabriel would soon announce
as well.
The
baby, John, was none other than John the Baptist, and he would be the
one to baptize Jesus at the beginning of Jesus' ministry.
Gabriel's best-known role was the one in which he delivered the most important news: the coming of Jesus.
Instead
of announcing the news to kings or priests, Gabriel was sent to a young
virgin named Mary. The young woman had found favor with God and would
be the mother of God's Son. Gabriel told her:
You
will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord
God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over
Jacob's descendants forever; his kingdom will never end (
Luke 1:31-32
).
After announcing Jesus' name and identity, Gabriel explained to Mary that it would be a virgin birth caused by the
Holy Spirit
.
"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May your word to me be fulfilled" (
Luke 1:38
).
After this, Gabriel left. He does not appear in the Bible again, at least by name.
When
Gabriel appeared to Daniel, Zechariah, and Mary, all three were
stricken with awe. Daniel says, "As he came near the place where I was
standing, I was terrified and fell prostrate" (
Daniel 8:17
). Zechariah "was startled and was gripped with fear" (
Luke 1:12
). And Mary "was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be" (
Luke 1:29
).
He had to reassure each of them before continuing with his messages,
raising Daniel back to his feet and telling Zechariah and Mary, "Do not
be afraid" (
Luke 1:13
, 30).
Gabriel indicated a favored position when he stated that he is an angel who "stand[s] in the presence of God" (
Luke 1:19
).
Thus,
Gabriel is a good and holy angel of God who stands in God's presence,
and he was chosen by God to deliver important messages to at least three
of God's faithful, including the birth and name of God's Son.
Though sometimes referred t...
