In Abrahamic religions\
(Judaism, Christianityand Islam), Gabriel (/ˈɡeɪbriəl/ GAY-bree-əl)[N 2] is an archangel with power to announce God's will to men. He is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament, and the Quran. Many Christian traditions – including Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Lutheranism, and Anglicanism — revere Gabriel as a saint.[4][5][6]
In the Hebrew Bible, Gabriel appears to the prophet Daniel to explain his visions (Daniel 8:15–26, 9:21–27). The archangel also appears in the Book of Enoch and other ancient Jewish writings not preserved in Hebrew. Alongside the archangel Michael, Gabriel is described as the guardian angel of Israel, defending its people against the angels of the other nations.
In the New Testament, the Gospel of Lukerelates the stories of the Annunciation, in which the angel Gabriel appears to Zechariahand the Virgin Mary, announcing to each the births of John the Baptist / Yahya and Jesus / Isa, respectively (Luke 1:11–38).
Islam regards Gabriel as an archangel sent by God to various prophets, including Muhammad.[7] The first five verses of the Al-Alaq, the 96th chapter of the Quran, is believed by Muslims to have been the first verses revealed by Gabriel to Muhammad.[7]
Etymology[edit]The name Gabriel (Hebrew: גַּבְרִיאֵל, Gaḇrīʾēl) is composed of the first person singular possessive form of the Hebrew noun gever(גֶּבֶר), meaning "man", and ʾĒl, meaning "God". This would make the translation of the archangel's name, "God is my man".[8][9][10] In Arabic he is called Jibrīl (جبريل).
Gabriel and Vohu Manah[edit]The Zoroastrian "holy immortal" (Amesha Spentas) Vohu Manah (or "good mind"), played a similar role to Gabriel in Zoroastrianism, appearing to Zarathustra and revealing the true nature of God and his covenant with man.[11]
Judaism[edit]Hebrew Bible[edit]In the Hebrew Bible, Gabriel appears to the prophet Daniel to explain his visions (Daniel 8:15–26, 9:21–27). Later the angel Michael also appears to him (Daniel 10:13, 21, Daniel 12,1). These are the first instances of a named angel in the Bible. Gabriel's main function in Daniel is that of revealer, responsible for interpreting Daniel's visions, a role he continues to have in later traditions.
Rabbinic Judaism[edit]Gabriel, (Hebrew: גַּבְרִיאֵל, romanized: Gaḇrīʾēl) is interpreted by Talmudic rabbis to be the "man in linen" mentioned in the Book of Daniel and the Book of Ezekiel. Talmudic Judaism understands the angel in the Book of Ezekiel, who was sent to destroy Jerusalem, to be Gabriel. According to the Jewish Encyclopedia, Gabriel takes the form of a man, and stands at the left hand of God.[12] Shimon ben Lakish (Syria Palaestina, 3rd century) concluded that the angelic names of Michael, Raphael, and Gabriel came out of the Babylonian exile (Gen. Rab. 48:9).[13] Alongside archangel Michael, Gabriel is described as the guardian angel of Israel, defending this people against the angels of the other nations.
Mystical Judaism[edit]In the Kabbalistic tradition, Gabriel is identified with the sephirah of Yesod. Gabriel also has a prominent role as one of God's archangels in the Kabbalah literature. There, Gabriel is portrayed as working in concert with Michael as part of God's court. Gabriel is not to be prayed to because only God can answer prayers and sends Gabriel as his agent.[12]
According to Jewish mythology, in the Garden of Eden there is a tree of life or the "tree of souls"[15] that blossoms and produces new souls, which fall into the Guf, the Treasury of Souls. Gabriel reaches into the treasury and takes out the first soul that comes into his hand. Then Lailah, the Angel of Conception, watches over the embryo until it is born.[citation needed]
Christianity[edit]New Testament[edit]Gabriel's first appearance in the New Testament, concerns the annunciation of the birth of John the Baptist. John's father Zacharias, a priest of the course of Abia, (Luke 1:5–7) was childless because his wife Elisabethwas barren. An angel appears to Zacharias while he is ministering in the Temple, to announce the birth of his son. When Zacharias questions the angel, the angel gives his name as Gabriel:
Gabriel announcing the incarnation to Mary, by Fra Angelico, c. 1440–1445 (Convent of San Marco, Florence)10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.
11 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled,
and fear fell upon him.
13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias:
for thy prayer is heard;
and thy wife Elisabeth
shall bear thee a son,
and thou shalt call his
name John.
And thou shalt have joy and gladness;
and many shall
rejoice at his birth.
For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord,
and shall
drink neither wine nor
strong drink;
and he shall be
filled with
the
Holy Ghost, even
from
his mother's womb.
16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.
17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
18 And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.
19 And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.
20 And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.
— Luke 1:10-20[16]After completing his required week[17] of ministry, Zacharias returns to his home and his wife Elizabeth conceives. After she has completed five months of her pregnancy (Luke 1:21–25), Gabriel appears again, now to Mary, to announce the birth of Jesus:
The Annunciation, by Henry Ossawa Tanner (1898)26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
27
To a virgin espoused to a man
whose name was
Joseph,
of the house of
David;
and the virgin's name was
Mary.
28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.
And the angel said
unto her, Fear not, Mary:
for thou hast
found favour with God.
And, behold, thou shalt conceive
in thy womb,
and bring forth a son,
and shalt call his name
JESUS.
He shall be great, and shall
be called
the Son of the Highest:
and the
Lord God shall give unto him
the
throne of his father David:
And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever;
and of
his kingdom there
shall be no end.
Then said Mary unto the angel,
How shall this be,
seeing I know not a man?
And the angel answered and
said unto her,
The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee,
and the
power of the Highest shall overshadow thee:
therefore also
that holy thing which
shall
be born of thee shall be
called
the
Son of God.
For with God nothing shall be impossible.
And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord;
be it unto me according to thy word.
And the angel departed from her.
— Luke 1:26-38
Gabriel only appears by name in those two passages in Luke.
In the first passage the angel identified himself as Gabriel, but in the second it is Luke who identified him as Gabriel. The only other named angels in the New Testament are Michael the Archangel (in Jude 1:9)
and Abaddon (in Revelation 9:11)
The Bible describes angels as powerful spiritual beings whom God created to perform specific jobs both in heaven and on earth. And although the Bible often mentions a “host” of angels, it only names a few.
Gabriel is the most well-known named angel to appear in Scripture. Each time he is mentioned, we see him act as a messenger to impart wisdom or a special announcement from God.
In the book of Daniel, Gabriel appeared to the prophet Daniel in order to explain some visions God gave Daniel about the end times (Daniel 8:15–27; 9:20–27).
While Daniel still had trouble understanding the visions,
Gabriel’s explanations,
along with other biblical information about
the end times,
have allowed us to come to some conclusions about how the
end times will play out.
Gabriel also appears in the New Testament. He appears to Zacharias in the temple to herald the news that Zacharias’s wife, Elizabeth,
would give birth
to
John
Gabriel also approaches
Mary
with the announcement of
the
birth of Christ
Later, Joseph receives guidance in a couple visits from Gabriel. Because of the monumental importance of these history-shaping announcements, it seems likely that Gabriel is one of God’s chief messengers.
The second angel the Bible calls by name is Michael, who functions very differently from the angel Gabriel. Michael is an archangel, which means “chief angel”; this title indicates that Michael holds a high rank in heaven. Although it is not certain that Michael is the only archangel, the possibility exists, according to Jude 1:9, where Michael is referred to in definite terms as “the archangel Michael.” If other archangels exist, it is likely that Michael leads them.
When Michael appears in the Bible, it is usually in a battle of some type. He wars with the fallen angels (those who sinned against God and became demons) and Satan on behalf of God and His people. Michael appears several times in the book of Daniel as a warrior (see Daniel 10:21 and 12:1). In one instance, the angel Gabriel describes Michael as fighting against the demonic “prince of the Persian kingdom,” enabling Gabriel to reach Daniel and explain the visions to him (Daniel 10:13).
Michael is also seen in the book of Revelation, when he battles the great dragon—Satan—during the end times (Revelation 12:7–9). The fact that Michael is leading an army of angels against Satan himself testifies to Michael’s high rank and power.
If fallen angels are included in the list of angels who are named in the Bible, two more names should be mentioned: Lucifer/Satan and Apollyon/Abaddon. Lucifer rebelled against God and was thrown down from heaven along with the angels who followed him. Before his rebellion, Lucifer was a beautiful and powerful being; but he coveted equality with the Most High God and therefore became unholy and cursed (Isaiah 14:12–18; Luke 10:18). He is now known as Satan and is God’s chief enemy who seeks to deceive and destroy all of mankind (John 10:10). Apollyon/Abaddon is another fallen angel, mentioned in Revelation 9:11, and he leads an end-times demonic army.
RSS Feed
