Gabriel

Gabriel is an important figure in several major religions, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. He is known as an archangel, a powerful messenger of God. In these traditions, Gabriel carries God's messages to people.

In the Book of Daniel, Gabriel appears to help explain some of Daniel’s dreams and visions. In the Christian story, Gabriel tells a man named Zechariah that his wife will have a special son named John the Baptist. Later, Gabriel visits Mary, mother of Jesus to tell her that she will have a son who is Jesus, through a miracle known as the virgin birth. Many Christian groups, such as the Catholic Church, honor Gabriel as a saint.

In Islam, Gabriel is also an archangel. Muslims believe that Gabriel first gave the messages of the Quran to the prophet Muhammad. Gabriel is especially linked with sharing important messages from God to people.

Etymology

The name Gabriel comes from ancient Hebrew. It means "man of God," combining the word for "man" with the word for "God." An early church leader, Proclus of Constantinople, said that this name showed that Jesus, whose birth Gabriel announced, would be both a human and divine.

A famous teacher named Saint Bernard explained Gabriel’s name as meaning "the strength of God." He thought Gabriel was a good choice to share important news because he represented God’s strength and support, especially during difficult times.

Judaism

In the Hebrew Bible, Gabriel is first mentioned in the Book of Daniel. Here, Gabriel appears to the prophet Daniel to help him understand his dreams and visions. Gabriel’s main job is to explain and reveal important messages from God. Even though not named directly in some parts of Daniel, many believe Gabriel is the angel who gives Daniel his final, big visions.

Gabriel is also talked about in books written between the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament, like the Book of Enoch. In these stories, Gabriel is one of the archangels, working with others such as Michael and Raphael. They help God carry out his plans, like dealing with angels who made mistakes. Gabriel is seen as a watcher and a servant of God, ready to deliver messages and help protect people.

Christianity

Gabriel is an important angel in the stories of Jesus. In the Bible, he first appears to a man named Zechariah to tell him that his wife will have a son named John the Baptist. Zechariah is surprised because he and his wife are older and thought they couldn’t have a child.

Later, Gabriel appears again to a young woman named Mary. He tells her that she will have a special son who is Jesus. Gabriel is one of only a few angels named in these stories. Other named angels include Michael and Abaddon.

In some older Christian writings not in the main Bible, Gabriel is mentioned often. These writings include stories about the early years of Jesus and other religious visions. In some beliefs, Gabriel is also thought to have lived as a person named Noah long ago.

Different Christian groups celebrate special days to honor Gabriel. For example, some churches remember him on March 18th or September 29th. Others, like the Eastern Orthodox Church, celebrate him in November. These days are times for people to think about Gabriel’s role in sharing important messages.

One popular idea is that Gabriel will blow a trumpet to signal important events, like the end of time, though this is not clearly stated in the Bible. The idea comes from older writings and poems.

Islam

See also: Rūḥ

"Gibril" and "Jibril" redirect here. For other uses, see Gibril (disambiguation) and Jibril (disambiguation).

Gabriel, known in Arabic as Jibrīl or Jibrāʾīl, is a very important angel in Islam. He is one of the main angels and is called the Angel of Revelation. In the Qur'an, Gabriel is mentioned in verses 2:97, 2:98, and 66:4. Muslims believe Gabriel was sent to many prophets, including Adam, with important messages from God.

In Islamic tradition, Gabriel appeared to Prophet Muhammad twice in his angel form, the first time being when Muhammad received his first revelation. Gabriel is also believed to have given important news to Zechariah about the birth of John the Baptist and to Mary about the birth of Jesus. He even helped deliver messages to Abraham about the birth of Isaac. Gabriel is known by many names, including "keeper of holiness," and in stories, he is said to have six hundred wings.

As a messenger

Muslims believe Gabriel was responsible for delivering God's messages to the prophets and messengers. When Muhammad was asked which angel brought the holy scriptures, he said it was Gabriel. Gabriel is also remembered for giving important news to Zechariah, Mary, and Abraham about the births of John the Baptist, Jesus, and Isaac, respectively. Gabriel also appears in a famous story where he questions Muhammad about the core beliefs of Islam.

As a warrior

Gabriel is also believed to have helped Muhammad during battles. He is said to have assisted Muhammad during the Battle of Badr, where Gabriel and other angels appeared to help. Gabriel is also said to have encouraged Muhammad to take action against certain groups. In other stories, Gabriel fought against Iblis, who tried to tempt Jesus.

Other traditions

The Yazidis believe in Seven Archangels, including Jabra'il (Gabriel), Mikha'il (Michael), Rapha'il (Raphael), Dedra'il, Azra'il, Shamka'il, and Azazil. These angels are seen as special powers from God who care for the world. In Yazidism, Gabriel is linked to Tawûsî Melek, known as the "Peacock Angel."

Yazdânism and Yarsanism have beliefs similar to Yazidism, with seven important divine powers and the idea that Gabriel appears in the world as Pir Benjamin in Yarsanism.

The Mandaeans honor Ptahil as the "Fourth Life," one of three powers coming from the First Life. Ptahil is seen as the same as Gabriel and helped create the world, working with Ruha, a ruler of the World of Darkness. Their roles change over time, with each taking control when the other's power lessens. According to Brikha Nasoraia, God commanded the creation of the material world, and Ptahil carried it out with help from Gabriel and others.

Art, entertainment, and media

Angels are often shown as pure spirits without a specific shape, which gives artists many ways to picture them. Some modern stories even think of Gabriel as a woman or someone who doesn’t look clearly male or female.

Gabriel is most famous for showing up in stories about telling important messages from God, called the Annunciation. In 2008, a drawing from the 1500s by Lucas van Leyden from the Netherlands was found. An expert said the drawing might have been for a window with colorful pictures in a church. The artist chose to show Gabriel as a normal-looking person instead of a perfect, perfect boy.

There is a group called the Military Order of Saint Gabriel that honors people who have helped share news and stories for the U.S. Army. Their symbol shows St. Gabriel playing a trumpet.

Some places have statues or pictures of Gabriel, like at Heroes' Square in Budapest, the church of St. Georg in Bermatingen, the church of St. Magnus in Waldburg, and the Cathedral of Reims.

In the neighborhood called Little Italy in Baltimore, Maryland, people have celebrated a festival for over 80 years in honor of St. Gabriel. They carry a statue of him through the streets.

In the video game Ultrakill, Gabriel appears as a main character, though this version is different from the Gabriel from Bible stories.

On TV, Gabriel appears in the show Supernatural, where he hides by pretending to be other characters. He also appears in Good Omens, where he plays an important role in the story.