Gabriel 

Gabriel, a celestial being with the title Bright and Morning Star, is the ideal personality conceived by Christ Michael and the Divine Minister, the father and mother of our local universe, Nebadon. And Nebadon is an integrated part of God’s plan to populate time and space with diverse beings who may become citizens of the cosmos, children of this same God. Michael and the Divine Minister are also children of God, but they have been given the power to conceive and create billions of other beings. When this creative pair came to their assigned region of space and prepared to organize it as the local universe of Nebadon, their first living creation was Gabriel. Only one such person of wisdom and majesty is created in each local universe. In the realms of all time and space, there are some 700,000 local universes, each with its own matchless Michael, Divine Minister, and Gabriel.

In the Bible and the Qur’an, Gabriel is said to be an angel, or an archangel, with the power to announce God’s will and plans. And he did announce the coming of Jesus and John to Mary and Elizabeth. But this is only a small part Gabriel has played in the history of our world and the affairs of our local universe of Nebadon. Gabriel is the commander of angels and the primary administrator of Nebadon, but he is also an arbiter, one who settles debates and makes judgment calls in the administration of the millions of ever-evolving worlds under his supervision. Michael and the Divine Minister are the makers of these worlds, but Gabriel does not share their creative powers, he only administers their creations.

Compared to his parents, Gabriel is considerably limited in the attributes of Deity. His work does not involve creating more beings, rather does he administer what Michael and the Divine Mother have already created. All three are exclusively and voluntarily devoted to enacting God’s plans to create a vast array of planets within the borders of Nebadon and populate them with diverse beings who will also volunteer to assist God in the unfolding of the creations of time and space.

Gabriel has many spheres of service and areas of responsibility connected with organizing Nebadon. Its entire judicial mechanism is under his supervision and his verdicts are always representative of his creator parents. He is capable of a broad understanding of, and sympathetic contact with, angels of all types as well as the inhabitants of the planets, humans included. Though not a creator like his parents, he is a marvelous administrator who serves as their personal representative. Gabriel was created fully endowed for his work, but he has gained experience with the growth and evolution of Nebadon.

Gabriel is the only one in all of Nebadon who has the title "Bright and Morning Star." He has at his command an able corps of administrative assistants. He may employ any and all of the orders of celestial beings functioning in Nebadon since he is the commander in chief of "the armies of heaven" – the celestial hosts. Gabriel is normally occupied with an array of administrative duties and cannot be in two places at once. But he maintains contact with all phases of universe life and affairs through the Brilliant Evening Stars – 13,641 angelic assistants. He also employs an intelligence corps of angels that roam Nebadon gathering information he uses to make decisions, and judgment calls, regarding the affairs of the millions of inhabited worlds within Nebadon. All Planetary Princes (world administrators) are under the administrative jurisdiction of Gabriel.

He and his staff are not teachers or creators; they are administrators. Michael is the benign ruler of all Nebadon, but when he is away from Salvington (his home and the capital world of Nebadon) or when he bestows himself on an evolving world, as he did when he took up life as Jesus, Gabriel becomes the actual director of universe affairs. And Gabriel has been closely identified with the history and development of our world ever since the mortal bestowal of Michael as Jesus.

Two thousand years before Michael incarnated as Jesus, a Melchizedek took up life in the flesh to ready the world for Jesus’ advanced teachings. Melchizedeks are another order of beings created by Michael and the Divine Minister to assist Gabriel in the management of Nebadon and its millions of inhabited worlds. The mission of this Melchizedek, Machiventa by name, was to establish the truth of one God in the minds of humans, to prepare the way for Jesus’ superior revelations about God and eternal life. And this he did by creating a school and sending missionaries to the far reaches of human habitation. But he did not end his incarnation until he had been duly released by the senior Melchizedek and had been informed that his mission had received the approval of Gabriel.

When Michael announced his intention to bestow himself, to incarnate on our planet, he held a pre-bestowal conference with Gabriel. Gabriel had billions of years of experience as an administrator and was well qualified to take over during Michael’s temporary absence. His regular responsibilities include oversight, approval, appointment, arbitration, and a great variety of executive functions too numerous to list. Imagine the work involved in the management and organization of millions of evolving worlds plus the selection and command of the administrators of those worlds, and you will begin to grasp the extent and volume of Gabriel’s labors. And when he is put in charge of all universe affairs, as during Michael’s incarnation, his responsibilities increase immeasurably. Gabriel has never failed or been disloyal to the trust put in him by the mother and father of Nebadon, no matter the number or magnitude of the difficulties he has faced.

To understand who Gabriel is and what his role was before, during, and after the life of Jesus, it is necessary to explain who Jesus was before his incarnation. He was, and still is, Michael, co-creator of our local universe of millions of worlds and the army of beings who help manage them. He and his creative partner, the Divine Minister, are the parents of Gabriel and other orders of beings, including the archangel, angels, and cherubim. Michael, as part of his creator responsibilities, takes up life as one of his creatures seven times. This requirement, once completed, confers absolute sovereignty on him and entitles him to unquestioned rulership of Nebadon, our local universe. Gabriel attended Michael during his incarnations and took charge of Nebadon’s affairs.

Our world was selected as the site of Michael’s seventh self-bestowal. The method of this bestowal was birth as a male child. Before this incarnation, Gabriel was tasked with selecting the place and the parents. After the selection, he laid plans to announce the coming of Michael. As a part of this divine incarnation, a herald, John the Baptist, would be born just before Joshua (Jesus). John had no previous life as did Jesus, he was born to a woman named Elizabeth, a distant cousin of Jesus’ mother, Mary.

Gabriel appeared to both mothers to announce they were pregnant and what names their sons should be given. He appeared first to Elizabeth, about three months after Joseph and Mary’s marriage, in late June of 8 BCE.

This sudden and unexpected announcement from a celestial being greatly frightened Elizabeth. Afterward, she turned this experience over in her mind. But she did not mention this revelation to anyone, even her husband until she was certain of being pregnant. When Elizabeth finally told Zacharias about Gabriel’s appearance, he was very skeptical. Then, about six weeks before John’s birth, Zacharias had an impressive dream after which he became fully convinced that his wife Elizabeth was to become the mother of a son, one who would prepare the way for what they thought would be the Messiah.

Zacharias and Elizabeth rejoiced when a son came to them as Gabriel had promised. On the eighth day after his birth, they presented the child for circumcision, and they formally christened him John, as Elizabeth had been directed by Gabriel.Gabriel made his announcement to Mary around the middle of November, 8 BCE, while she was alone and at work in her Nazareth home. One evening, about sundown, before Joseph arrived from work, Gabriel suddenly appeared to her.

When Mary recovered from the shock of this celestial visitation, she pondered it secretly for many weeks until she knew she was with child. When Joseph heard all about this, although he had great confidence in Mary, he was troubled and could not sleep. At first, he had doubts about Gabriel's visitation. But then he, like Zacharias, had an impressive dream that convinced him that he and Mary had been chosen to raise a "child of promise." Later, in early February of the following year, Mary visited Elizabeth to discuss Gabriel’s announcements to them. Mary stayed with Elizabeth for three weeks. She did much to strengthen Mary’s faith in the vision of Gabriel. When Mary returned home, she was more fully dedicated to the call to mother the "child of destiny."

Gabriel’s announcement to Mary was made the day following the conception of Jesus and was the only event of supernatural occurrence connected with her, or Elizabeth’s, entire experience of carrying and bearing their sons. John was born in the City of Judah, on March 25, 7 BCE. Jesus arrived on August 21 of that same year. Mary and Joseph were pleased they had been chosen to parent what they, and John’s parents, thought would be a long-predicted Messiah, although Gabriel’s announcements did not include any reference to a Messiah.

Mary and Joseph never told Jesus about Gabriel’s visitation. He knew nothing of it until John told him on the day he baptized Jesus when Jesus was thirty-one. Mary sometimes had doubts about Jesus, but she was always steadied in her final attitude by the memory of Gabriel’s appearance and announcement that she was to be the mother of a child of destiny.

Rebellion is a rare occurrence in our local universe, or anywhere else in the universe of universes, but it can happen at any time or place where imperfect beings have been given free will. Certain lower-level administrators, supervisors who are the offspring of local universe creators, are especially vulnerable. One of them, Lucifer, sparked a rebellion against the government of God about 200,000 years ago. Many of those under him were led astray and Gabriel was called to address this challenge to God and Michael’s authority. Michael and the Divine Minister, Nebadon’s co-creators, are of divine origin and therefore perfect, but their offspring are not. These co-creators had no part in the rebellion, neither did the great majority of the other members of their administrative staff. Only lower-level administrators of one System and their helpers were involved.

When Lucifer went into rebellion, he was the administrator of more than six hundred planets, including ours. Lucifer served loyally for many ages. But, at some point, he became dissatisfied and decided to rebel. His first outspoken disloyalty was during a visit by Gabriel. Shortly after Gabriel arrived, Lucifer issued his manifesto, falsely labeled a "Declaration of Liberty." Lucifer was a brilliant being and charming personality and many in his charge fell under his spell. They were persuaded by the declaration and joined Lucifer in open rebellion against the creators of our local universe, and God the creator of all things and beings.

After the rebellion began, Gabriel was counseled to grant every free will being the full opportunity to make a deliberate choice involving Lucifer’s Declaration of Liberty. They said that three times the number of beings would be led astray if arbitrary or summary methods of suppression were attempted. They all concurred in advising Gabriel to permit the rebellion to take its full and natural course, even if it should require a million years for the consequences to play out.

Lucifer was permitted to establish and organize his rebel government before Gabriel made any effort to contest the right of secession or the rebel’s propaganda. Gabriel’s only reaction was to announce that he would, in due time, speak for Michael and that all beings would be left free and unmolested.

When the time came, Gabriel conducted an unceasing exposure of the rebels’ sophistries. He and Lucifer established their respective camps not far apart on one of the System’s administrative worlds. For two years, war raged within the System and all the usual business came to a halt. Undecided ones freely went back and forth between the two camps until they joined one or the other. The Melchizedeks, archangels, and the Brilliant Evening Stars all remained loyal to Michael and, with Gabriel leading, they valiantly contended for the Father’s will and the Son’s (Michael’s) rule.

After two years, when every superhuman being in the System had decided whether to rebel or remain loyal, the war ended. But Lucifer and his unrepentant followers were allowed to roam free until Michael incarnated as Jesus and, during his forty days on Mount Hermon, terminated the rebellion. Michael offered all who rebelled pardons. Those who rejected his mercy and spurned repentance were interned on a prison world. Gabriel and others went about repairing the damage done by the rebellion. Of the six hundred worlds under Lucifer’s supervision, only thirty-seven planetary administrators (Planetary Princes) fell into rebellion, our world being one. The rebellion’s consequences are still being felt on these thirty-seven worlds but the war in heaven ended long ago. Soon after that, a new System Sovereign was chosen, a loyal and worthy administrator who still rules in the place of the traitor.

A Bible passage refers to the triumph over the rebels and Gabriel arresting them, in the book of Revelation, chapter 20: "Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven with the key to the Abyss, holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years."

After the times of Adam and the Garden of Eden, Michael, co-creator of our local universe, announced that our planet would be the site of his seventh and last self-bestowal. Self-bestowals are something all Michaels are required to do in order to receive full sovereignty of their universe, their region of space having millions of inhabited planets. Gabriel taught that this terminal bestowal would be made in the likeness of mortal flesh. He visited this world, made a survey of its various peoples, and decided the Hebrews were the ones best suited for Michael’s incarnation.

Gabriel sent a special commission to observe and recommend a pair of potential parents. When this commission concluded its studies, three couples were nominated. From those three, Gabriel made the personal choice of Mary and Joseph. It was the plan of Michael to appear on earth as an average man, so the common people might understand him and receive him. That was one of the reasons he selected Joseph and Mary. Gabriel also chose a couple to parent a herald, a forerunner of Jesus, one to announce Jesus’ coming. He came to be known as John the Baptist. The couple chosen as John’s parents was Elizabeth and Zacharias, citizens of the City of Judah. Elizabeth and Mary knew each other, they were cousins.

When the time was right, Gabriel made announcements to Mary and Elizabeth that they would become the mothers of Jesus and John. He first appeared to Elizabeth, then Mary, but he had little to do with Jesus or John’s upbringing. The first time Gabriel met Jesus in the flesh was in January of 26 CE when Jesus was thirty-one. This was during a forty-day period where Jesus was alone in the Perean hills planning his public ministry. At that meeting, Gabriel told Jesus his bestowal experience was practically finished. Then he and Gabriel had a long conversation about the status of Michael’s universe (Nebadon) and the plan Jesus was formulating for the completion of his life’s mission.

Their next face-to-face encounter was on the Mount of Transfiguration, on August 15th, 29 CE. At this meeting Gabriel brought the news that his incarnation had received approval from the Eternal Son and the Infinite Spirit, two members of the Trinity. Another long conversation followed in which the affairs of Nebadon were discussed.

Gabriel was always in attendance during Jesus’ lifetime. Practically the whole universe of Nebadon was observing their creator Michael enact his seventh self-bestowal as a flesh and blood human, and Gabriel stood at the head of them. Also on the planet was a vast host of beings who might be needed to assist in the apparent miracles that Jesus called for. When Jesus was assured that it was God’s will that Lazarus be raised from the dead, he spoke the words, "Lazarus, come forth!" At that moment, Gabriel gave the command to the invisible celestial beings who were present and who had the power and skill to re-enliven Lazarus’ body to do so. After Lazarus arose, Gabriel made a record of the event and dismissed the celestial agents who assisted.

In the final episode of Jesus’ life, his death and resurrection during the second week of April, 30 CE, Gabriel was present and in charge of all celestial hosts. He and billions of others watched in horror as the incarnated Michael, creator of our local universe, was falsely accused, savagely tortured, and cruelly crucified. Gabriel, or Michael, could have stopped this tragedy, but Gabriel knew Michael was intent on finishing his incarnation as any human would in similar circumstances, without celestial intervention.

After Jesus died, the archangels of resurrection pondered whether they might attempt to resurrect him. But they were admonished by Gabriel that Michael had "laid down his life of his own free will; he also had power to take it up again in accordance with his own determination." When Jesus awakened in new form on resurrection morning, Gabriel was at his side and remained there until Jesus ascended, forty days later. The resurrected Jesus’ first act was to greet Gabriel and instruct him to continue in charge as Nebadon’s chief executive.

After Jesus rose from the tomb, the chief of archangels asked Gabriel for permission to dispose of Jesus’ human remains, which Gabriel granted. Then, with his last executive act in connection with Jesus’ incarnation, Gabriel called for a dispensational resurrection. All the sleeping souls who had died since the days of Adam proceeded to the Mansion Worlds to begin their new lives as resurrected beings. Dispensational resurrections are a regular feature of life on the evolving worlds of Nebadon and Gabriel (or another celestial administrator having authority delegated by Gabriel) has the responsibility for certifying and initiating them.

Gabriel first appears in the Old Testament’s book of Daniel, chapter eight. Daniel is a prophet who has a dream that he cannot understand. Gabriel appears and tells Daniel his dream is about "the time of the end." It involves a rebellion and several kings and "it concerns the distant future" (Daniel 8:26). Gabriel reappears in chapter nine in answer to Daniel’s questions about the future of Jerusalem. There is much debate about the content and meaning of Gabriel’s prophecy in Daniel 9:24-27.

The only other Biblical references to Gabriel are in the New Testament book of Luke. In Luke 1:5-25, Gabriel announces that John the Baptist will be a forerunner and herald for Jesus. In that account, Gabriel appears to Zechariah (Zacharias) and informs him that his wife, Elizabeth, will be John’s mother. The author of that account chose to have Gabriel appear to Zechariah, not Elizabeth, possibly to lend it more authenticity and authority, being that the male perspective carried more weight at the time of the writing. However, Gabriel did, in fact, appear to Elizabeth, not Zechariah.

Luke 1:26-38 has the story of Gabriel’s appearance to Mary to announce that she will bear a son. In it, Gabriel tells Mary he is to be named Jesus and that God will give him a kingdom and he will rule from the "throne of David." None of the other three Gospels (Matthew, Mark, John) mention Gabriel, nor is he directly referenced in the other books of the New Testament.

In the book of Revelations 22:16, Jesus is referred to as the "bright and morning star." This book was much edited and abridged and that may explain the discrepancy since the title, Bright and Morning Star, belongs solely to Gabriel.

In Islam, Gabriel is venerated as one of the archangels and as an angel of revelation. He is primarily mentioned in verses 2:97, 2:98, and 66:4 of the Qur’an. Qur’anic literature narrates that Muhammad saw the archangel Gabriel in his full angelic splendor only twice, the first in 610 CE when he received his first revelation. The timing of the second appearance with yet more revelation is a matter of debate. The Bible portrays Gabriel as a celestial messenger sent to Daniel, Mary, and Zechariah. Islamic tradition holds that Gabriel was sent to numerous pre-Islamic Biblical prophets with revelations and divine commands. He is known by many names and titles in Islam, such as "keeper of holiness." And it remains an issue of scholarly debate whether "the Holy Spirit", mentioned in the Qur’an, refers to Gabriel.

Muslims believe that Gabriel transmitted scripture from God to the prophets and messengers. When Muhammad was questioned about which angel was revealing the holy scriptures, he replied it was Gabriel. Like Christians, Muslims believe that Gabriel was an angel who foretold John's birth to Zechariah, as well as Mary’s future nativity of Jesus. Muslims believe Gabriel was one of three angels who informed Abraham of the birth of Isaac. Gabriel also makes a famous appearance in the Hadith of Gabriel, in which he questions Muhammad on the core tenets of Islam. Also in Hadith traditions, Jibril (Gabriel) is said to have six hundred wings.

Gabriel is believed to have helped Muhammad overcome his adversaries. He is alleged to have encouraged Muhammad to wage war and attack the Jewish tribe of Banu Qurayza. Other Islamic texts and some apocryphal literature also support the belief about Gabriel's role as a celestial warrior and advisor.

Gabriel is venerated and celebrated in most Christian traditions. He has been assigned several feast days and is the patron saint of telecommunication workers, radio broadcasters, messengers, postal workers, clerics, diplomats, and stamp collectors. He is the subject of an array of sculptures, paintings, literature, and a character in diverse types of entertainment, including movies, television, music, and video games.

Gabriel’s name appears in connection with Gnosticism, the Latter-Day Saints, the Book of Enoch, in Yezidi tradition, and in Rabbinical and Mystical Judaism. Although not specifically mentioned in the Bible as a horn-blower, that is what Gabriel is best known for. The first known reference to Gabriel as a trumpeter is in a twelfth-century song by Saint Nerses Shnorhali of Armenia, in which he blows his horn on "the last night" and the dead are resurrected. In fifteenth-century Armenian art, there is an illustration in an Armenian manuscript showing Gabriel sounding his trumpet as the dead climb out of their graves. In a non-religious context, Gabriel’s horn is a name given to a geometric figure that has infinite surface area but finite volume.