The Angels view of Christmas: A Messenger of God

We are digging into Christmas from the viewpoint of the angels.  Last week, we joined Zacharias as the angel Gabriel appeared to him.  Today, we are join Mary, as we pick her story up in Luke 1:26-38.

We do not know what Mary was doing or where she was, but she was going about her day when an angel

An angel appeared before Mary

appeared to her. 

26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.

We are told here that God sent his angel Gabriel to Mary.  Matthew also gives an account of the story, but does not provide Gabriel’s name.

28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

Gabriel greets Mary with the words “you are highly favored”.  After all, Mary is the only young woman in all of humanity, whom God chose to be the mother of his son.  That is definitely high favor.  There was something very special about this young woman for God to choose her to become the mother of his son.

29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God.

Once again, Gabriel reiterates that Mary has found favor with God.

The angel told Mary she was highly favored

The word favor means approval, support, or liking and an act of kindness beyond what is due or usual.

31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.

Imagine Mary’s jaw dropping, as the angel explained that she would give birth to a son and should call him Jesus.

The name Jesus is a rendition of the Hebrew Yeshua, and variants of that name are Joshua and Jeshua.  According to the Hebrew dictionary, Yehoshua is a compound of two elements, Yeho, which is God’s four letter name, and yasha which means deliver, care, or rescue.

32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

Jesus will be the son of the Most High.  Gabriel is reminding us that no one is or will ever be higher than the Lord.  His will be a kingdom that will never end.

An angel appeared

34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

Mary is perplexed, after all she is a virgin and has never known a man.  How can this happen?

35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.”

The angel, Gabriel, tells her that the Holy Spirit and power of the most high will come upon her.  Could Mary feel the moment that happened?  Did it wake her up?  One can imagine that it was most memorable and amazing moment of her life to that point.

Mary believed all the angel told her

Gabriel then reminds us that no word from God will ever fail.  When God say something will happen, then it will definitely happen.  For over four hundred years, the Lord had been silent but now he was speaking.  He was sending his son.

Today, we may think He is quiet, but He is still greatly at work. He has promised that one day He will return.  We do not know when, but we can be promised that one day He will.  After all, His word never fails.

38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.      {Luke 1:26-38}

So, how did Mary act?  Did she question further or rebel?

No way.  She answered with faith for the Lord to do as He said.

This simple faith was part of why the Lord chose her.

Then the angel left her and returned to heaven.

Mary trusted the Lord without question.   Do you question the Lord’s commands or act without question?

 

Angels are messengers of God. They announced the coming birth of Jesus. #eyewitnesstoChristmas #Christmas Click To Tweet

**Photos courtesy of FreeBibleImages.org

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