Well as we enter the Christmas season I find myself often reflecting upon the Christmas story. So many remarkable events surrounded the birth of our Lord and Savior. Magi visiting from a far away land… Angels performing a heavenly cantata to simple shepherds… unborn children reacting with joy in the presence of a pregnant Mary… messengers from Heaven appearing with the wonderful news. So many remarkable events surrounded the birth of Jesus, that it would be hard to deny something extraordinary was about to take place.
I find myself trying to ponder this monumental occurrence from the perspective of the angels in Heaven. Were they all privy to God the Father’s plan to redeem humanity through His Son, or perhaps, were only a privileged few aware of His planned incarnation?
We do know that Gabriel understood. Gabriel whose self-descriptive authority was proclaimed when he announced to Zechariah, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God.” Try to find someone who can top that job description. Talk about a name drop!
Gabriel appears (at least by name) four times in the Bible. Twice to Daniel, to Zachariah and to Mary, but it is a solid, educated guess to surmise that he was the “angel of the Lord” who visited Joseph as well. Can we possibly understand the coming birth of Jesus through the eyes of one who “stands in the presence of God”? I doubt it… but let’s give it a try.
Gabriel stood in the very throne room of God. The throne room where created beings continuously proclaim the majesty and holiness of The Creator. “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty! The whole earth is full of His glory.” And at the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds of the throne room of God shake and the whole room is filled with smoke. Heavenly beings, created to display their own majesty, cast their own crowns at the feet of Him who sits on the throne proclaiming, “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”
Gabriel was present when pre-incarnate Jesus uttered the words, “Let there be Light!” He witnessed countless stars explode into existence at Jesus’ command. He watched those stars gravitate into billions of galaxies. He witnessed Jesus creating the solar system around our sun and marveled as He pushed the planets into motion and set the gravitational constants of the Universe. He observed God creating millions of species of insects, birds, fish and animals. He was awestruck as God formed a Human out of dirt and breathed life — placed a soul — into that first man.
And then… Gabriel watched as his King… The Lord God Almighty… His Majesty… was born on the urine-stained dirt floor in a stable… covered in amniotic fluids from His birth. He heard that first cry of a new born baby, and he gazed in awe at His Majesty being totally dependent upon a teenage girl for nourishment.
In the coming days did he shake his head in wonder as The Almighty took His first step? Was he surprised at the simplicity of the first word that came from the mouth of One who had recently commanded The Heavenly Hosts? Did he have to be restrained when Jesus was spit upon and beaten at His crucifixion?
I guess we will never know for certain, but perhaps this perspective helps us better understand his words to those shepherds so long ago… “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
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