Gabriel: Messenger of Peace and Restoration
Luke 1:11-19, 1:26-29
This week is ourthirdand final installment of the series entitled Support Cast, where we are examining some of the characters surrounding the Christmas Story. This week we look at the Angel Gabriel and the significant role he played in communicating God’s intentions to Mary. In this blog you willdiscoverthe meaning the of Gabriels name. On a personal note, this character so impacted Christina (my wife) and my thinking that we named our son Gabriel in hopes that he would grow to be a man of God and amessengerof the Good News.
Gabriel (Dan. 8:16; 9:21; Luke 1:19, 26) is one of only two angels actually mentioned by name in Scripture; the other being Michael (Dan. 10:13, 21; 12:1; Jude 9; Rev. 12:7). From the picture painted in Scripture, Gabriels job description was to be a messenger. In the first chapter of Luke, Gabriel appeared to two individuals. The first message he delivered was to Zacharias to tell him that his wife Elizabeth would have a son and his name would be John. He said, I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God (Luke 1:19). The second message was delivered to Mary when he told her she would conceive and give birth to Jesus.
Both Zacharias and Mary were frightened when they saw him because angels often brought judgment. After all, the name for the Archangel, Michael, means destroyer. He was the champion of God against evil and the deliverer of His wrath. Gabriel, though, paints a much different picture, for his name means man of God, and he was the messenger of peace and restoration. He is a faithful angel who communicated the impossible to humans in a way that enabled them to believe that with God, all things are possible (Matt. 19:26). While both angels are extremely significant, Gabriels purpose was to foretell the miracles of God and to proclaim the believers call to faith.
This article was adapted from The Impact Student Leadership Bible and can be found atwww.slustore.com