Gabriel

Another of the most famous angels, Gabriel is well known as God's messenger- the angel selected to deliver the news to Mary that she would give birth to the son of God. What texts are our sources for Gabriel and what do they say about him?

## Texts

### Enoch 1

Is Enoch doing Gabriel's job? Ah well- Gabriel was busy fighting demons anyway.

### Daniel

Daniel 8:16 NIV

Gabriel is entreated to explain a vision to Daniel.

Daniel 9:21 NIV

Gabriel returns to Daniel. This is one of the few examples on an angel explicitly "in flight." Interesting that the text still refers to him as a man- implying that he does not have anything to distinguish him from a human i.e. wings.

Daniel 10 NIV

Daniel 12 NIV

Many traditions identify the man in linen as Gabriel? Since Gabriel was literally just there and doing essentially the same job as the man in linen it seems a reasonable assumption that the man in linen is Gabriel too. However this time Daniel is terrified.

I'll have a fuller exploration of the man in linen on his own page.

### Luke

"In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. 6 Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. 7 But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.

8 Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.

11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. 16 He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

18 Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”

19 The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. 20 And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.”

21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. 22 When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.

23 When his time of service was completed, he returned home. 24 After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. 25 “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”

26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 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, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called[b] the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.”

38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her."

Luke 1:5-38 NIV

## Etymology

As with many names in ancient Hebrew- there are a handful of meanings that people claim to be the correct one.

"Wife of God"

## Harmonized History

Gabriel was created along with the other angels some time before the earth was made. **Genesis 1:14**

Gabriel along with the other angels rejoiced as the earth was made. **Job 38:7**

Gabriel along with the other archangels fought the watchers and bound them. **Enoch 1**

Gabriel as the man in linen was detained by the Prince of Persia on Gabriel's way to answer Daniel's prayer. Michael aids Gabriel allowing Gabriel to go to Daniel. Gabriel and Michael stand alone in their opposition of the Prince of Persia and the Prince of Greece. **Daniel 10**

Gabriel appears to Zachariah to announce the birth of John the Baptist, leaving Zachariah speechless. Then Appears to Mary to announce the birth of Jesus the son of God. **Luke 1**