GABRIEL

. . . while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the first, came to me in swift flight at the time of the evening sacrifice.  He came and he said to me, "O Daniel, I have now come out to give you wisdom and understanding" (Daniel 9:21-22).

And the angel answered him, "I am Gabriel, who stand in the presence of God; and I was sent to speak to you, and to bring you this good news" (Luke 1:19).

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David (Luke 1:26-27).

Gabriel is mentioned by name only four times in the Bible, twice in Daniel and twice in Luke's gospel.  It is highly probable that Gabriel was the angel who appeared to Joseph and to the shepherds as well.  What makes him important is that he was the angel that gave Daniel the seventy-weeks time-line prophecy about the time of the coming of the Messiah. 

Theophilus, a lover of God, was the one to whom Luke wrote (Luke 1:3-4).  Theophilus already had knowledge of the events of the gospel, and I believe knowledge of the Old Testament writings, so that is why Luke mentions Gabriel by name.  The Gabriel in Daniel is the same Gabriel in Luke; the events of the nativity were not arbitrary happenings, but were a part of God's time-line for history.  God has a time-line for history and that is why Jesus began his ministry by saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe the gospel (Mark 1:15).

Gabriel seems to be the angel through whom special messianic events are announced.  Could he be the one who plays the final trumpet call of God at the final return of the Messiah?  For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed (I Corinthians 15:52).  One thing of which we can be certain, the first coming of the Messiah indicates that history has direction--will you follow it?

Grace&Peace;
Tom