Angel Gabriel: Who is He and What Is He Known For?

The Holy Bible teaches us that angels, in their traditional sense and form, have a lot of roles to fulfill in helping God’s plan come to fruition. Usually, they are the Holy message bearers and Holy warriors. Apart from that, they also act as Guardian Angels to people here on Earth, directing them towards the light. Ask anyone for the name of an angel and they will most likely tell you two: Michael and Gabriel. The latter is the subject of our article today, the angel who announced the birth of Jesus to the Virgin Mary.

Traditionally, angels are portrayed as winged human-like entities who speak softly and encourage people to not fear them. Gabriel is one of the most important and higher-ranking angels who are allowed to stand in God’s presence and deliver some of the most important messages. Here are all the details about angel Gabriel that you probably didn’t know about, until now. Here we go!

Gabriel is the only other angel, apart from archangel Michael, whose name specifically appears in the Bible multiple times, although he may have appeared to people a lot more times but without being named. In fact, his name means “mighty one” or “God is my strength”. Gabriel is sent by God to Virgin Mary to announce that she is with child and that the child would be God’s son. He also appears to Zechariah to inform him that Elizabeth will bring a son into the world.

Most people are familiar with him thanks to his major involvement in the traditional Christmas story. However, how many of us really know who this angel really is and what has he done? In the following lines, we will find out some interesting facts about Angel Gabriel that you may not have known until now.

Most people think that Gabriel is also an archangel, just like Michael. However, in reality, there is a confusion because Gabriel is never called an archangel in the Bible. The book of Enoch, which is a written work placed between the Old and New Testament, calls both Michael and Gabriel archangels. Later, Jude quotes the book of Enoch and simply supposes that if Michael was an archangel, Gabriel should be one too. In reality, an archangel by the name of Gabriel is never referenced in the Bible. Not once.

Chronologically, Angel Gabriel only appears and talks to three Biblical characters. Firstly, he talks to the prophet Daniel, then to Zechariah to announce the birth of John the Baptist, and finally, to Virgin Mary to announce the birth of Jesus. Apart from these three specifically-named encounters, Gabriel never speaks to anyone else under this name. He may have however appeared to many other people but under the name of the Angel of the Lord who many think is actually him.

Even if popular culture associates angels with wings, the Bible never actually mentions them. This is also Gabriel’s case. Indeed, there is a “flight” mentioned in relation to him at one point, but actual wings are never described. However, the interpretation of the Scripture might suggest that there was no actual need for the wings to be mentioned anywhere because they are part of what an angel is. So, it seems that this detail is left for the readers’ imagination. It's still unclear why angels are usually depicted with wings but we can only guess that it has to do with tradition and people's perception of them being higher beings who are able to do something that we cannot, hence fly.

As for his name’s meaning, there are also many interpretations but the most popular ones are “God is great” and “the mighty one”. On another note, Gabriel is also the one who reveals that God’s child would be called Jesus, the same way that he reveals to the priest Zechariah that his son would be called John. So, Angel Gabriel is a very important figure because he actually names two of the greatest people in the Bible, John the Baptist and Jesus. Whenever he makes an appearance in the Bible, Gabriel makes some mention regarding Jesus or Messiah.

Another interesting fact that points to the importance of Angel Gabriel is that he is one of the two good angels who actually have names in the Bible, along with Michael. All the others are unnamed beings, apart from a few evil ones that we all know about. The reason for this is unknown, but many think that by giving them names, the Bible puts Gabriel and Michael on a much higher level of importance than the other angels in God's service.

And by this, we don’t mean the way he looks is terrifying but that his presence and energy are, especially for the uninitiated. According to the Bible, Daniel fell straight on his face after seeing Gabriel. He also felt sick for entire days afterward. However, Gabriel always talked in a warm and gentle manner but his appearance was still too striking to be accepted that easily. The priest Zechariah also felt huge waves of fear upon seeing him in an otherwise empty temple.

As for how to connect with Angel Gabriel, such an important presence in the eyes of God Himself, it’s not that complicated. You only have to find a night full of stars when the moon shines bright. This matters a lot because he is also called the Angel of the Moon by some cultures.

Begin by going out in nature, breathing deeply, connecting with your inner self, and calling his name three times. Then close your eyes and imagine yourself bathing in the moonlight and swimming among the stars of the night. Now it’s time to imagine an angelic entity coming closer to you and ask him for guidance and advice. Finally, after saying your requests, imagine yourself being blessed by Angel Gabriel and then coming back to your physical body. Don’t forget to thank him for his blessings and believe that your prayers have been listened.

You can ask Gabriel about your future plans and ideas, a third-eye enhancement so you can see the world clearer, and for enhanced intuitive power and clarity. Depending on your needs, he will listen to you and provide you with what you wish for. You can also ask him to help you let go of bad and useless things that no longer require your attention and that hurt you.

All in all, we can safely say that regardless of the names they are bearing, which are mostly symbolic, angels have a few clear purposes. Apart from being the bearers of Holy messages from God, they are also our guides here on Earth, the divine beings that protect and direct people towards their good sides.

When it comes to Angel Gabriel himself, he is a clear example of how God uses angels to intervene in our lives. The three major Biblical announcements made by him are proof that even if we may not see or feel them by ou side, they are always there by God’s order executing His plan that involves us, humans, too. So, while there might be clear ways of contacting a certain angel, as it’s the case of Gabriel too, we should never forget that we don’t always have to call upon them for support. They are always there guiding us through this life and the next one when we will all reach the Kingdom of God.