Angel Gabriel is a messenger who was entrusted to deliver several important messages in the name of God. Gabriel appears to at least three people in the Bible : first of all the prophet Daniel (Daniel 8:16); at the side of the priest Zechariah to predict and announce the miraculous birth of John the Baptist (Luke 1:19); and finally, to the virgin Mary to tell her that she was going to conceive and have a child (Luke 1: 26-38).
What does the name of Angel Gabriel mean?
Gabriel's name means God is great, and as the angel of the proclamation, he is the one who revealed that the Savior was to be called Jesus (Luke 1:31).
The first time we see that Gabriel appears to Daniel, it is after the prophet had a vision. Gabriel's role is to explain Daniel's vision (Daniel 8:16). Gabriel's appearance was that of a man (Daniel 8:15; 9:21). When Gabriel visited Daniel for the second time, he came to him on a quick flight at the time of the afternoon sacrifice (Daniel 9:21).
Gabriel's Flight might suggest wings, but the wings are not mentioned. It is also evident that Gabriel's appearance was quite scary ; as Daniel fell on his face at his sight (Daniel 8:17) and was ill for several days after his experience with the angel and the vision (Daniel 8:27).
In Daniel (10: 1–21), we see another interaction with the prophet, "one in the likeness of the sons of men" (verse 16); However, this messenger is not named. The angel says that he has come to help Daniel understand his vision, so it is quite possible that this passage also refers to the Angel Gabriel.
From the language in the passage, it is also possible that there are actually two angels with Daniel, one who spoke with him and the other so that he can respond (Daniel 10:16, 18). The angel also refers to a battle that occurs in the spiritual realms . This angel that we can reasonably assume is Gabriel and the angel Michael who were apparently involved in the battle with a series of kings and demonic princes, including the prince or king of Persia (verse 13) and the prince of Greece (verse 20).
Gabriel says he was sent from heaven in specific response to Daniel's prayer. Gabriel had stopped carrying the answer as soon as Daniel began to pray (Daniel 10:12). But Gabriel got into trouble along the way : "The prince of the kingdom of Persia opposed me for twenty-one days" (Daniel 10:13) and in fact prevented him from coming to Daniel .
Here we have a look at the spiritual world and the battles that took place behind the scenes. Holy angels like Gabriel performed the will of God, but were resisted by the other spiritual beings who only want evil in the world.
Gabriel's message to the priest Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, was delivered to the temple when Zacharias was ministering before the Lord. Gabriel appeared to the right of the altar of incense (Luke 1:11), made a symbol of prayer, and told Zacharias that his prayers had been heard (verse 13).
Zacarias' barren wife, Isabel, was going to give birth to a son ; this miraculous child was to be called John, and he would fulfill the prophecy of Elijah's coming (verse 17; cf. Malachi 4: 5). Gabriel's message was received in disbelief, until the day of the child's circumcision (Luke 1:20, 59-64).
Gabriel's appearance to Mary was to announce the virgin birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. The mother of the Messiah had secured her favor with God (Luke 01:30) and said that her son was going to fulfill David's Covenant : “He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of David, and reign over the people of Jacob forever; his kingdom will have no end ”(verses 32-33).
In response to Mary's question about how this was going to happen, if she was a virgin, Angel Gabriel said the conception would be the result of the work of the Holy Spirit in her, and therefore “the Holy Being who will be born, will be called Son of God ” (verse 35).
In the three appearances, Angel Gabriel met with fear, and had to start his conversations with words of comfort and joy for Daniel, Zacarias and Maria. It is possible that Gabriel was also the angel who appeared to Joseph in Matthew (1:20), but this is not true, since that angel has no name in Scripture.
What we do know is that Gabriel is one of God's good and holy angels . He has a favored position as an angel who "is in the presence of God" (Luke 1:19), and was selected to deliver important messages of love and special favor from God to the people chosen to be part of God's plan .
AUTHOR: JoT333, editor of the great family of hermandadblanca.org
