Seven Announcements of Archangel Gabriel

Archangel Gabriel is mentioned several times in the Holy Scripture as a Heavenly messenger, sent by God to announce people about His plans on salvation of the humanity. Whom and which news did he bring?

1. The Mother of God.

Archangel Gabriel was chosen by God to announce to Mary and the whole world the greatest joy about incarnation of the Son of God. “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. 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” (Luke, 1:28-33).

2. Moses

The Archangel came to Moses, who was hiding in the desert after he had escaped from the Pharaoh’s punishment. Archangel Gabriel taught him to write and told about the origin of the world and creation of the first human being – Adam, about the activity of the previous patriarchs, the Great Flood, the division of languages, about the position of the celestial bodies. He also taught Moses arithmetic, geometry and many other sciences, and inspired him while he was writing the book of Genesis.

3. Prophet Daniel

In the Old Testament, Archangel Gabriel tells Prophet Daniel about what the future will be (Daniel, 8:16, 9:21). He explains the revelations about the future king and their kingdoms, tells about the time when the people of God are free from the Babylonian captivity, the moment of the Christ’s first coming on earth, and about the anti-Christ and the end of the world.

4. Pious Joachim and Anna

The Archangel brought the news about the birth of Virgin Mary. He appeared to Pious Anna, who was crying in the garden because of her barrenness and praying to God. Archangel Gabriel came to her and said that her prayers were heard. He said, she would conceive and give birth to a daughter, who would bless all the human tribes on earth. She would give salvation to the world, and her name would be Mary. The Archangel told the same Pious Joachim, who was fasting in the desert: he and his wife would have a daughter, chosen by God to become the Mother of Messiah, who would come to give people salvation.

5. Priest Zacharias

According to the Gospel from Luke, Archangel Gabriel appeared to Pious Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, in the Cathedral and told that Zacharias would have a son: “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. And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. 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” (Luke, 1:13-17). Zacharias doubted in what the he said, and thus he was punished with dumbness until the moment, when the words of the Archangel became true.

6. Jesus Christ

Archangel Gabriel appeared in the garden of Gethsemane, where Christ was praying, to strengthen Him before the beginning of His sufferings.

7. The Myrrhbearers

The Myrrhbearers were the first people who heard the joyful news about the Christ’s resurrection from Archangel Gabriel. He appeared to them, when they were sitting on the stone near the tomb of Christ (Matthew, 28; Mark, 16; Luke, 24; John, 20). Thus the Archangel became not only the blessed messenger of Christ’s conceiving and birth, but of His Resurrection as well.

Source: http://russian7.ru/2012/07/7-yavlenij-arxangela-gavriila/7-20/