Gabriel
“Man of God or hero of God”
Summary
An angel sent by God to deliver important divine messages, appearing prominently in both the Old and New Testaments.
☩Appearances in Scripture
Gabriel appears four times in Scripture, twice in Daniel and twice in Luke. He was sent to Daniel to explain the vision of the ram and the he-goat and to communicate the prophecy of the Seventy Weeks. Under the new covenant, Gabriel announced the birth of John the Baptist to his father Zacharias in the temple and proclaimed the coming birth of Jesus to Mary. When Zacharias questioned how he could know these things, Gabriel declared his identity: 'I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God.'
☩Character and Role
While commonly spoken of as an archangel, Gabriel is not explicitly given this title in Scripture. His name means 'man of God' or 'hero of God,' describing his angelic office. In contrast to Michael, who represents angelic might in conflict with evil, Gabriel appears as a messenger of comfort and good news to humanity. His communications are marked by simplicity and an absence of terror, befitting his role as a comforter. In the Book of Enoch, Gabriel is listed among the four great archangels alongside Michael, Raphael, and Uriel.
☩In Jewish and Islamic Tradition
The Rabbinical writings describe Gabriel as standing before the divine throne near the standard of Judah, serving as the Prince of Fire, and presiding over the ripening of fruit. Jewish tradition credits him with understanding Chaldee and Syriac and teaching Joseph seventy languages. In Islamic tradition, Gabriel (Jibril) holds profound veneration as the one who delivered the Quran to Muhammad and will hold the scales at the final judgment.
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Gabriel," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. III (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Orr (ed.), "Gabriel," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. II (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).
- 3.George Morrish, "Gabriel," in Morrish's Concise Bible Dictionary (George Morrish, 1898).
- 4.Andrew Robert Fausset, "Gabriel," in The Englishman's Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopædia (Hodder & Stoughton, 1878).