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The Truth About Angels
prayers were about to be answered; but the mercy of God seemed too
great for him to credit. He was filled with fear and self-condemnation.
But he was greeted with the joyful assurance: “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 Zacharias said unto the angel,
Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well
stricken in years.”
To the question of Zacharias, the angel said, “I am Gabriel, that
stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to
show thee these glad tidings.” Five hundred years before, Gabriel had
made known to Daniel the prophetic period which was to extend to
the coming of Christ. The knowledge that the end of this period was
near had moved Zacharias to pray for the Messiah’s advent. Now the
very messenger through whom the prophecy was given had come to
announce its fulfillment.
The words of the angel, “I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence
of God,” show that he holds a position of high honor in the heavenly
courts. When he came with a message to Daniel, he said, “There is
none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your Prince.”
Daniel 10:21
. Of Gabriel the Saviour speaks in the Revelation, saying
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that “He sent and signified it by His angel unto His servant John.”
Revelation 1:1
. And to John the angel declared, “I am a fellow servant
with thee and with thy brethren the prophets.”
Revelation 22:9
, R.V.
Wonderful thought—that the angel who stands next in honor to the
Son of God is the one chosen to open the purposes of God to sinful
men.—
The Desire of Ages, 97-99
.
The work of John the Baptist was foretold by the angel who visited
Zacharias in the temple. “Fear not, Zacharias,” he said; “for thy prayer
is heard; and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt
call his name John. And ... he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, ...
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.”—
The
Review and Herald, February 20, 1900
.
The angel Gabriel gave special directions to the parents of John
in regard to temperance. A lesson was given upon health reform by
one of the exalted angels from the throne of heaven.—
The Spirit of
Prophecy 2:43
.