Gabriel

1. Andy Samuel Griffith is now 80 years old. He was born on June 1, 1926.

2. Griffith went to college and initially studied to be a preacher. He changed his major to music.

3. We probably best know him for his acting. 249 episodes of the Andy Griffith show were made.

4. Of these nearly 250 shows, only a few characters really stand out in the minds of Americans.

5. One of the most famous characters was Earnest T. Bass.

6. Bass is remembered very well, but he was not that common of a character.

7. Earnest T. appeared in only 5 of the nearly 250 shows but almost everyone remembers him.

8. Sometimes a person is not mentioned too often but people believe they are mentioned time after time.

9. This type of thing has certainly happened with an angel who bears the name Gabriel.

10. If we asked people how many times Gabriel appears in the Bible we might be surprised.

11. Some might say this angel is found more than a hundred times, or at least 50 times.

12. Some members of the church might say he is mentioned at least 10 times.

13. If we look at the references, he is listed only four times in the Scriptures.

WE DO NOT READ ABOUT THIS CREATURE TOO OFTEN, BUT WHEN WE DO FIND HIM MENTIONED IT IS TYPICALLY IN CONJUNCTION WITH COMMUNICATING AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE.

a) Our first introduction to this angels is in Dan. 8, Dan. 8:15-19.

b) Daniel had receive a vision and he did not understand it. He needed help.

c) Someone called out to the angel Gabriel and told him to go help God’s prophet.

d) Daniel saw Gabriel and he was scared – Dan. 8:17 – READ.

e) Last week we spoke about some history—history that even people in the world know.

f) Daniel received advance information about his future and some of this came through Gabriel.

g) A little later (Dan. 9), God’s prophet again receives information from good angel messenger.

2) God’s people had been in Babylonian captivity for 70 years.

3) Jeremiah had foretold how Israel would be held for this period, and this time was about up.

4) Daniel wanted to know what was going to happen, and Gabriel provided him with some information.

5) Dan. 9:2-3 – READ.

a) Daniel was very passionate about getting this information as we see from verses 4-11 – READ.

b) Daniel is a man who was sincerely looking for information from God. He recognizes sin.

c) Now we are ready for Dan. 9:20-23 – READ.

d) Gabriel came to help Daniel understand what was going to occur.

e) In verses 24-27 there are what people generally call “Daniel’s 70 weeks.”

f) Lots of strange ideas are circulated about this period of time.

g) What is said here is consistent with our previous lessons: Daniel simply saw some history.

6) Tonight I want to briefly cover what Daniel’s 70 weeks were.

7) In the information Daniel received each day represents a year (this is generally conceded by all).

8) In verse 25 we are introduced to a period of seven weeks.

9) If each day represents a year, seven weeks (49 days) is 49 years.

10) This is the first period of time and describes an historical period involving a ruler called Cyrus.

11) Daniel 9:25 takes us to a time of Cyrus, 457 B.C.

12) Daniel was told that at this time Jerusalem would be rebuilt.

13) It had been overrun and overcome, but all that was going to change.

14) This is exactly what the Bible says. There was a 49 year period involving Cyrus.

15) It is in this time frame that we read about Nehemiah’s and his work in the Old Testament.

16) The 49 year period lasted from 457 B.C. to 408 B.C. It took nearly 50 years to rebuild Jerusalem.

17) Few Bible believes dispute that Daniel was talking about this period in history.

18) A second period of time is then given in Dan. 9:25 (three score and 2 weeks).

19) Three score is another way of saying “60.” Three score & 2 is a period of 62 weeks.

20) Each day in this text still equals a year. If we take 62 times 7 equals 434—434 years.

21) Jerusalem was rebuilt in 408 B.C. and then we move forward in history 434 years.

22) If we start at 408 B.C. and go about 435 years into the future, we are out of the B.C. era.

23) We come to the A.D. era. We come to a time of approximately 26 A.D.

24) BY this time Jesus was alive, an adult, and involved in His ministry.

25) In Dan. 9:26 the writer mentions a third period of time (a week).

26) He says that during this time the Messiah would be “cut off.”

27) It is still important to remember how time is being counted in this chapter (one day = a year).

28) Since this final period of time is described as a week (7 days), the third period is a 7 year period.

29) In the midst of a seven year period (i.e. after 3 ½ years), something would happen to the Messiah.

30) Dan. 9:26 says He would be “cut off.”

31) If we take the date that was given (26 AD) and go 3 ½ years into the future, it is about 30 AD.

32) This was the time period when Jesus was “cut off” (crucified on the cross).

33) Then a time came, as we noted last week, when Jerusalem was finally destroyed in 70 A.D.

34) These were major pieces of God’s redemptive plan, and this information had been given to Gabriel.

35) Gabriel had information about Jesus about 600 years before Christ came to the earth.

36) God had given this angel some very important facts.

37) As far as we know, Gabriel was not able to do anything else with this information for 600 years.

38) For the 600 years between Daniel and the New Testament we have no more information from Gabriel.

a) Then, at the time of the first century, he again appears.

b) Zacharis was burning incense.

c) Lk. 1:11 says “an angel of the Lord appeared to him.”

d) Daniel had been scared of this angel 600 years beforeand Zacharias had this same reaction.

e) Daniel was told to not fear and his prayer had been heard.

f) Zacharis was told the same thing (Lk. 1:13).

39) Gabriel had spoken about the Messiah 600 years prior to this time.

40) Now he was giving out some additional material.

41) He said someone would go before the Lord—this person be the son of Zacharias and Elizabeth.

42) Zacharis had a hard time believing that; he and his wife we old. They did not have any children.

43) Here is what Gabriel said to him – verses 19-20 – READ.

a) Gabriel has served as a communicator, a very special communicator.

b) He has given to men some of the most important information the world will ever receive.

c) In this case when a person did not believe, there was punishment.

d) I do not know if angels can be frustrated or not.

e) If that is possible, such may have happened on this occasion.

44) Gabriel seems to have waited 600 years to give additional information to man and then there was disbelief.

45) 600 years is a long time to wait and be patient. Gabriel is a very special angel.

46) He is not, however, identified as an archangel as far as we can tell.

47) A final mentioned of this angel is Lk. 1:26-27.

a) He has already given the news about John the Baptist and now later gives information about Jesus.

b) He went to Mary and said, “you are going to have a Son.”

c) He said Mary was “highly favored” and God was with her (Lk. 1:28).

d) One wonders from this if angels do not know who is saved and who is not.

e) In any case, Gabriel knew who Mary was.

48) Gabriel also knew what the future held, and he revealed some of it to Mary, Lk. 1:31 – READ.

49) Then the angel went on to say this – verses 32-33 – READ.

50) Mary was a little confused but Gabriel had an explanation for her.

a) This is all the information we have in the New Testament about Gabriel.

b) Some think Gabriel will blow a trumpet when Jesus returns.

c) If this is true, the Bible says nothing about it.

d) Muslims believe Gabriel is the one who gave Muhammad the Quran, but this is a false claim.

e) Some regard Gabriel as the death angel, but this is also without proof.

51) There is even a web site about this angel – angelGabriel.com.

52) On this site a lady claims to have spoken with him.

53) She claims to this has been going on for two years, and she has written a book about it.

54) She has even erected a four foot monument of him at a fire station in Petersburg, Michigan.

55) We may also dismiss her claim as inaccurate.

56) Her claim, does, however, provide us with a key truth.

57) Her alleged interaction with this angel gives us a good way to demonstrate Bible fact from fiction.

a) In the Bible, Gabriel was used to announce very important information.

b) The claims of people say Gabriel shows up to chitchat about this and that.

c) Many times a good way to teach people is to simply put two things side by side.

58) It is almost like comparison-shopping.

59) On the one hand, we open up the Word of God and see what it says.

60) Then we lay down beside it the claims of men.

61) When the two do not match, we must make a choice.

62) Will we accept the claims of men or the Word of God?

63) God’s word is always right. In the case of Dan. 9, the prediction was 600 years in the future.

64) Every detail was fulfilled. God’s word still works in this way today.

65) What has been promised may not happen in our lifetime, but it will occur. Are we ready?