The Angel Gabriel proclaims the birth of Jesus

by | Posted April 25th at 11:12pm

We will look at how the angel Gabriel promises the Birth of Jesus to Mary in Luke 1:26–38. Luke placed the story of the announcement of Jesus’ birth after that of John the Baptist’s birth.

Six months after Gabriel delivered God’s message to Zechariah (Luke 1:11–20), God sent the angel Gabriel with another promissory message – this time to a virgin named Mary. The announcement in Nazareth shows that Mary came from humble, agrarian roots. Galilee was not a respected region – hardly the expected locale for one sent from God (John 7:41).

The announcement about John was to a man, the one about Jesus was to a woman. Notice the gender diversity of how God chooses to use individuals.¹

Gabriel had also appeared to the prophet Daniel more than five hundred years earlier (Daniel 8:15–17; 9:21). Each time Gabriel appeared, he brought important messages from God to people entirely devoted to God. This time was no exception. (Luke 1:26–27) When Gabriel appeared to Mary, he called her: favoured woman because she would be a recipient of God’s grace, being chosen to bear the child Jesus. (Luke 1:28–29) There is a parallel here I’d like you to see. Mary, like Daniel, was favoured by the Lord because of her deeply devoted life. Note also Gabriel’s words to Daniel: “Daniel…you are greatly loved” (see Daniel 9:22-23) 

Gabriel explained to Mary that this child would grow in her womb, be born as all human children are born, and be named Jesus. This son will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The word “Son” was a designation of the Messiah, the long-awaited Savior (Genesis 49:10; 2 Samuel 7:9–16; Psalm 2:7; Isaiah 7:14; 9:1–7; 11:1–3).

The name Jesus, a Greek form of the Hebrew name Joshua, means “Yahweh saves.” Just as Joshua had led Israel into the Promised Land (see Joshua 1:1–2; Luke 1:30–33), so Jesus would lead his people into eternal life. The relevancy of the symbolism of Jesus’ name would soon be revealed to the people of his day. In Jesus’ name, people would heal from blindness and every sickness; demons would be banished; legalistic condemnation of sinners was challenged by Jesus; and finally, via the redemption achieved by his propitiatory death when condemned by his fellow Jews, judicially allowed by Pontius Pilate (Luke 23:23-25), he became our Saviour from sin and death. (1 John 4:10, 2:2; Ephesians 1:7; Hebrews 12:2; 1 Peter 1:18-19; Romans 5:10)

Centuries earlier, God had promised David that his kingdom would last forever (2 Samuel 7:16). This promise was fulfilled in the coming of Jesus, a direct descendant of David (Luke 1:27). Being born in the line of David, Jesus would be a king to reign over Israel forever – an eternal Kingdom that will never end. God had promised a perpetuation of the dynasty of David. David’s earthly family dynasty ended four centuries after his reign. Jesus Christ, a direct descendant of David, was the ultimate spiritual fulfilment of this promise (Acts 2:22–36). Christ who is the creator of all creatures and all things (Colossians 1:16) will now reign for eternity—now acknowledged in his spiritual Kingdom — vibrantly active in the hearts of His children in the New Jerusalem,² the church of the New Covenant. (Matthew 26:28; Mark 14:24; Luke 22:20; 1 Corinthians 11:25).

The birth of Jesus to a virgin is a miracle that many people find difficult to believe. Jesus’ miracles, transfiguration, and resurrection were all actual, historical events that defy explanation. They were acts of God in a human world created by Him (John 1:3-4). A Christians’ faith, however, rests not on the virgin birth—indeed two of the four Gospels don’t even mention it. Faith rests on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, not on his virgin birth. However, the virgin birth reveals two important facts: In Jesus, God began a “new creation,” for, through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, sin’s power over humankind dies. In Jesus, people can come to God for a personal relationship and be freed from the power of sin. Moreover, Jesus was God’s Son before he was ever conceived in Mary’s womb. He did not become God’s Son at a later time, issuing from Mary.

His acceptation as God’s Son was not because of good behaviour or obedience. He was not a man promoted to that position. God’s Son was eminently born God’s Son. In the birth of Jesus, God himself became human and entered the world—for fallen human beings! Therein lies the miracle! People are not to explain it, prove it, or ignore it—they are to believe it and worship God who made it happen. (Luke 1:34 )

God favours her not because of her merit or because she has done anything. She is favoured because she is the chosen vessel for God’s demonstration of Grace, and He knew her receptiveness as His humble servant. God even gives a sign to Mary that these events are taking place within her family circle. The angel reveals that her old relative will miraculously bear a child too, and he reminds her that “nothing is impossible with God.” As with Gabriel’s message to Zechariah, this remark indicates that God can and will perform his word. His promise can be trusted.

Mary’s response reveals her character. “Let it be to me as you have said” (Luke 1: 38). This was no simple matter. She is being asked to bear a child as a virgin without being married. Knowing that by standing up for God and his power, she will probably become the object of much doubt and ridicule – this was a sign of her favoured womanhood – her absolute devotion to Yahweh! While Gabriel visits, Mary acknowledges her divine appointment as she confirms her servanthood. She will allow God to work through her as he wills. He can place her in whatever difficult circumstances he desires, for like Daniel of old, she knows by her loving relationship, that God is with her. ³

¹ Bock, D. L. (1996). Luke (p. 56). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

² The New Jerusalem is the church – those who have a heavenly connection via the Holy Spirit of Christ indwelling them. The New Jerusalem is called “the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” (Revelation 21:9, 10) The Lamb is a metaphoric depiction of Jesus Christ – the “Lamb slaughtered to take away the sin of the world”. (John 1:29; Revelation 5:12) “The Lamb’s wife,” Christ’s bride, represents Christians who unite with Jesus via the Holy Spirit and who will ascend to heaven at the first resurrection of those justified by faith in Christ (1Thessalonians 4:16-17). The Bible symbolises the relationship between Jesus and these Christians to that of a husband and wife. (2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:23-25) The foundation stones of the New Jerusalem inscribed with “the 12 names of the 12 apostles of the Lamb” (Revelation 21:14) are paralleled in Ephesians 2:18-20 as those who are “built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets”.

³ Barton, B., Comfort, P., Osborne, G., Taylor, L. K., & Veerman, D. (2001). Life Application New Testament Commentary (pp. 243–244). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale.

Article posted by Glen R. Jackman, founder of GraceProclaimed.org

Glen has optimized his eldership role to teach the full scope of the New Covenant of Jesus Christ without boundaries.
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