champion of God, used as a proper name to designate the angel who was sent to ( Daniel 8:16 ) to explain the vision of the ram and the he-goat, and to communicate the prediction of the seventy weeks ( Daniel 9:21-27 ).
He announced also the birth of John the Baptist ( Luke 1:11 ), and of the Messiah (26). He describes himself in the words, "I am Gabriel, who stand in the presence of God" ( 1:19 ).
God is my strength
(man of God ), an angel sent by God to announce to Zacharias the birth of John the Baptist, and to Mary the birth of Christ. He was also sent to Daniel to explain his visions. ( Daniel 8:16 ; 9:21 )
GABRIEL
ga'-bri-el (gabhri'-el, "Man of God"; Gabriel):
The name of the angel commissioned to explain to Daniel the vision of the ram and the he-goat, and to give the prediction of the 70 weeks (Daniel 8:16; 9:21).
In the New Testament he is the angel of the annunciation to Zacharias of the birth of John the Baptist, and to Mary of the birth of Jesus (Luke 1:19,26).
Though commonly spoken of as an archangel, he is not so called in Scripture. He appears in the Book of Enoch (chapters 9, 20, 40) as one of 4 (or 6) chief angels. He is "set over all powers," presents, with the others, the cry of departed souls for vengeance, is "set over the serpents, and over Paradise, and over the cherubim." He is prominent in the Jewish Targums, etc.
See ANGEL.
James Orr
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