THE ANNUNCIATION - Angel Gabriel's Announcement to Virgin Mary - Mary was a poor girl who lived a simple life, so she probably wasn't used to being greeted the way Gabriel greeted her. God had blessed Elizabeth, who was Mary's cousin, by allowing her to conceive a child despite the fact that she had struggled with infertility. Elizabeth and Mary encouraged each other during their pregnancies. Elizabeth's son John would grow up to become the prophet John the Baptist, who prepared people for Jesus Christ's ministry on Earth. Gabriel encourages Mary not to be afraid. It's clear from Gabriel's description of what Jesus will do that Mary's son will be different from any other baby that had ever been born. Mary's humble and loving response to Gabriel shows how much she loves God. Despite the difficult personal challenge of being faithful to God's plan for her, she chose to obey and move forward with God's plans for her life. The Christmas story begins with an angel's visit to Earth. In the Bible, the encounter between the Archangel Gabrieland Mary, known as the Annunciation, was when God's archangel of revelation announced to a faithful teenage girl that God has chosen her to give birth to a baby destined to save the world — Jesus Christ. Mary devoutly practiced her Jewish faith and loved God, but had no idea of the grand plans God had for her life until God sent Gabriel to visit her one day. He also delivered some incredibly startling news: God had chosen Mary to serve as the mother of the world's Savior. Mary wondered how that could be since she was still a virgin. But after Gabriel explained God's plan, Mary showed her love for God by agreeing to serve him.

..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

The Annunciation

Angel Gabriel's Announcement to Virgin Mary

.

Mary was a poor girl who lived a simple life, so she probably wasn't used to being greeted the way Gabriel greeted her. God had blessed Elizabeth, who was Mary's cousin, by allowing her to conceive a child despite the fact that she had struggled with infertility. Elizabeth and Mary encouraged each other during their pregnancies. Elizabeth's son John would grow up to become the prophet John the Baptist, who prepared people for Jesus Christ's ministry on Earth. Gabriel encourages Mary not to be afraid. It's clear from Gabriel's description of what Jesus will do that Mary's son will be different from any other baby that had ever been born. Mary's humble and loving response to Gabriel shows how much she loves God. Despite the difficult personal challenge of being faithful to God's plan for her, she chose to obey and move forward with God's plans for her life.

By Whitney Hopler

The Christmas story begins with an angel's visit to Earth.

In the Bible, the encounter between the Archangel Gabrieland Mary, known as the Annunciation, was when God's archangel of revelation announced to a faithful teenage girl that God has chosen her to give birth to a baby destined to save the world — Jesus Christ.

Mother of the World's Savior

Mary devoutly practiced her Jewish faith and loved God, but had no idea of the grand plans God had for her life until God sent Gabriel to visit her one day.

He also delivered some incredibly startling news: God had chosen Mary to serve as the mother of the world's Savior.

Mary wondered how that could be since she was still a virgin.

But after Gabriel explained God's plan, Mary showed her love for God by agreeing to serve him.

This event has become known in history as the Annunciation, which means "the announcement."

The Bible records in Luke 1:26-29:

"In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, 'Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.' Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.'

Mary was a poor girl who lived a simple life, so she probably wasn't used to being greeted the way Gabriel greeted her.

And for anyone, it would be troubling to have an angel from heaven suddenly appear and begin speaking.

The text mentions Elizabeth, who was Mary's cousin.

God had blessed Elizabeth by allowing her to conceive a child despite the fact that she had struggled with infertility and had passed her childbearing years.

Elizabeth and Mary encouraged each other during their pregnancies. Elizabeth's son John would grow up to become the prophet John the Baptist, who prepared people for Jesus Christ's ministry on Earth.

Gabriel Tells Mary Not to be Afraid

The Bible's account of the Annunciation continues in Luke 1:30-33: "But the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 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, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.'"

Gabriel encourages Mary not to be afraid of him or his announcement to her, and he reiterates that God is pleased with her.

Unlike the cute, cuddly cherubs sometimes portrayed in today's popular culture, angels in the Bible appeared impressively strong and commanding, so they often had to reassure the people to whom they appeared not to be afraid.

It's clear from Gabriel's description of what Jesus will do that Mary's son will be different from any other baby that had ever been born.

Gabriel tells Mary that Jesus will be the head of a "kingdom that will never end," which refers to Jesus' role as the Messiah that the Jewish people were awaiting — the one who will save all people worldwide from their sin and connect them to God for eternity.

Gabriel Explains the Holy Spirit's Role

Luke 1:34-38 of the Bible records the last part of the conversation between Gabriel and Mary:

"'How will this be,' Mary asked the angel, 'since I am a virgin?' 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. 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. For no word from God will ever fail.'
'I am the Lord’s servant,' Mary answered. 'May your word to me be fulfilled.' Then the angel left her."

Mary's humble and loving response to Gabriel shows how much she loves God.

Despite the difficult personal challenge of being faithful to God's plan for her, she chose to obey and move forward with God's plans for her life.

After hearing this, Gabriel could conclude his mission, and he departed.

Whitney Hopler

· Professional writer and editor since 1994, in print and online

· Communications director for the Center for Advancement of Well-Being at George Mason University

Experience

Whitney Hopler is a former writer for ThoughtCo. She has served as the religion editor for a secular newspaper chain in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, as well as an editor at Crosswalk.com and The Salvation Army’s national magazines. Hopler has written for a variety of national publications. She is the communications director for the Center for the Advancement of Well-Being at George Mason University.

Education

Hopler graduated with honors from George Mason University, where she studied comparative religion. She has a certification as a professional technical communicator from the Society for Technical Communications.

Publications

· "Dream Factory," a novel with spiritual themes

ThoughtCo and Dotdash

ThoughtCo is a premier reference site focusing on expert-created education content. We are one of the top-10 information sites in the world as rated by comScore, a leading Internet measurement company. Every month, more than 13 million readers seek answers to their questions on ThoughtCo.

For more than 20 years, Dotdash brands have been helping people find answers, solve problems, and get inspired. We are one of the top-20 largest content publishers on the Internet according to comScore, and reach more than 30% of the U.S. population monthly. Our brands collectively have won more than 20 industry awards in the last year alone, and recently Dotdash was named Publisher of the Year by Digiday, a leading industry publication.

https://www.thoughtco.com/annunciation-archangel-gabriel-124066

You might also like: 

 

Be It 

Unto Me

Don Moen

CLICK HERE . . . to view complete playlist . . . 

https://puricarechronicles.blogspot.com/2018/07/be-it-unto-me-don-moen-be-it-unto-me.html

 

THE WATCHERS - This is a mysterious subject, because we cannot see these "watchers," but we at least need to know they are there - the Bible does indicate that "the angels desire to look into" the outworking of the gospel in the hearts of men, and that "unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God" - Who are these mysterious "watchers" who are so concerned that we know that "the powers that be are ordained of God", sometimes even including the "basest of men?" They are mentioned in the Bible only here in the fourth chapter of Daniel, all three times evidently synonymous with "the holy ones," beings who come down from heaven. Such phrases could apply only to angels, created to serve the Lord and the "heirs of salvation". The word is used here in reference to Nebuchadnezzar's vision and period of insanity. In any case, the Bible does indicate that "the angels desire to look into" the outworking of the gospel in the hearts of men and that "unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God". Children, as well as adult believers, also seem to have guardian angels who "watch" them. This is a mysterious subject, because we cannot see these "watchers," but we at least need to know they are there. In fact, we can praise God that "the angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and deliverth them".

..............................................................................................................................................

The Watchers

.
.

This is a mysterious subject, because we cannot see these "watchers," but we at least need to know they are there - the Bible does indicate that "the angels desire to look into" the outworking of the gospel in the hearts of men, and that "unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God"

BY HENRY M. MORRIS, PH.D  

"This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men." - (Daniel 4:17)

Who are these mysterious "watchers" who are so concerned that we know that "the powers that be are ordained of God" (Romans 13:1), sometimes even including the "basest of men?"

They are mentioned in the Bible only here in the fourth chapter of Daniel (see also verses 13, 23), all three times evidently synonymous with "the holy ones," beings who come down from heaven.

Such phrases could apply only to angels, created to serve the Lord and the "heirs of salvation" (Psalm 103:20, Hebrews 1:14).

The word is used here in reference to Nebuchadnezzar's vision and period of insanity.

Although it is used nowhere else in the Bible, it occurs frequently in such apocryphal books as "Jubilees" and "Enoch," where it refers both to God's holy angels and to the fallen angels, who have direct interest in people on earth, as they "watch" them -- even on occasion directly controlling events that affect them.

In any case, the Bible does indicate that "the angels desire to look into" the outworking of the gospel in the hearts of men (1 Peter 1:12), and that "unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God" (Ephesians 3:10).

Children, as well as adult believers, also seem to have guardian angels who "watch" them (Matthew 18:10, Acts 12:9-15).

This is a mysterious subject, because we cannot see these "watchers," but we at least need to know they are there.

In fact, we can praise God that "the angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and deliverth them" (Psalm 34:7).

The Institute for Creation Research (ICR) wants people to know that God’s Word can be trusted in everything it speaks about—from how and why we were made, to how the universe was formed, to how we can know God and receive all He has planned for us.

After 50 years of ministry, ICR remains a leader in scientific research within the context of biblical creation. Founded by Dr. Henry Morris in 1970, ICR exists to conduct scientific research within the realms of origins and Earth history, and then to educate the public both formally and informally through professional training programs, through conferences and seminars around the country, and through books, magazines, and media presentations.

https://www.icr.org/article/watchers/

You might also like:

I Hear 

Angels

Marty Nystrom

CLICK HERE . . . to view complete playlist . . . 

https://puricarechronicles.blogspot.com/2017/12/i-hear-angels-i-hear-angels-singing.html