Bible Backgrounds created for The Promise movie

Angels

By Rev. Lon Vining (Glorious Films)

Do you believe in angels? If so, what do you think angels are like? What do they do? What do they look like?

To believe the nativity story of Jesus is to believe in angels. The opening acts of Luke’s and Matthew’s gospels record angels everywhere: speaking to Zechariah in the temple, announcing the coming Messiah to Mary, announcing Jesus’ birth to the shepherds and speaking to Joseph three times in dreams (one has to wonder, too, if Simeon and the Magi don’t receive their messages from God through an angel?). Without God’s heavenly messengers, the story simply could not have happened as the New Testament tells it. How else would Mary and Elizabeth have known the significance of the babies they carried? How would Joseph have been prevented from divorcing Mary, or the lowly shepherds informed of Jesus’ birth? Without angelic messengers, it seems like these people would have lacked a lot of information – and a great deal of confirmation – that the angels brought to them.

When you read the Bible, the first thing you’ll learn about angels is that they are not who pop culture makes them out to be. Rather than child-like cherubs with wings, halo and harp, angels are mighty warriors of God. In fact, the name Gabriel most likely means “Warrior of God.” Often biblical angels brandish fiery swords, and are used by God to defeat earthly and heavenly enemies (they do this seven times in just the first two books of the Bible).

Physically speaking, angels appear in human-like form very often; they speak, eat, and walk around like human beings. Unlike popular depictions of angels, they probably do not have wings (this notion is apparently derived from the fact that angels may descend from and ascend to the heavens (how else, but by wings?). There’s also probably some confusion due to the fact that the other heavenly creatures, cherubim and seraphim, have wings). Quite often, angels are mistaken for mere men in the Bible (see Genesis 19:1ff). At other times, angels have a radiance about them that clearly communicates that these creatures are from the heavens, their countenance having been illuminated by being in the presence of the glory of God (Matthew 28:2-3). The most oft-repeated phrase in the Bible is “fear not” and it is for good reason that angels are often the ones voicing this reassurance — men and women are understandably frightened to death at the site of these mighty, radiant warrior-messengers of God!

Gabriel

By Rev. Lon Vining (Glorious Films)

Gabriel is one of only two angels mentioned by name in the Bible (the other is the archangel Michael). This scarcity is astounding when one considers that in extra-biblical Christian, Jewish and Islamic writings there are found some 100 angels by name (Raphael, Uriel, et. all.). Gabriel is mentioned four times in Scripture – twice in the Old Testament and twice in the New Testament, and it is very possible that he is the angelic messenger in other stories where the figure goes unnamed.

He first appears to the prophet Daniel (8:16) to explain the vision of the ram and the goat. Later he gives Daniel the prediction of the seventy weeks (Dan. 9:21-27).

In Luke’s Gospel – the biblical source for The Promise – it is Gabriel who appears to Zechariah in the temple and announces the birth of John the Baptist (Luke 1:11) and shuts Zechariah’s mouth for nine months for his unbelief even as he opens his wife’s closed womb.

Most famously, Gabriel appears to Mary to tell her that she will bear the Messiah.

Every time Gabriel brings a message to someone, it is a momentous prophecy concerning the coming Messiah. When Gabriel appears, good news seems to come with him!

Lyrics:   Gabriel’s annunciation to Mary in Luke 1:28ff:

Greetings favored one! The Lord is with you.
Don’t be afraid Mary, I am Gabriel.
I stand in the presence of God
And I have been sent
To bring you a message.
For you have found favor with God.
Soon you’ll conceive and give birth to a son
And he shall be named, Jesus.
He will be great. The Son of the Most High.
And the Lord will give him
The throne of His Father
And he shall reign over the house of Israel
And his kingdom will never end!”

 Mary understandably asks, “I will bear the Messiah? How can this be since I’ve not been with a man?”

 To which Gabriel responds,

“Nothing is impossible with God!
The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
And the power of the Most High

Will overshadow you.
A child will be born.
And he shall be holy – the Son of God.

 (Glorious Films)