December Gabriel - December 28

Happy Saint Gabriel's Day! 

   "The angel of God encamps around those who fear him, and saves them." Ps. 33:7. This verse teaches that God's angel is sent by God to protect God-fearing people from suffering. It is written that one of the duties of angels is to protect those who are destined to inherit salvation. "Aren't they spirits who are sent to help and minister because all are to inherit salvation?" Heb. 1:14.

An Angel Who Saves From Suffering From The Enemy

   Saint Gabriel is not only an angel who shares his spiritual knowledge with those who are called to become saints. He is also an angel who saves them from the sufferings of the rulers of the Alawites because of their submission to God. Nebuchadnezzar, who was the king of Persia, was full of pride when God made the whole land subservient to him. And I will shake the cities where they dwell, and I will gather the whole world in my hand like a bird's nest, and I will take them away like an abandoned egg. He gathered the officials and governors at different levels of power in the state. "When you hear the sound of the trumpet, the harp, the violin and the flute, and all the songs, fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar set up. He who does not fall down and bow down will be thrown into the furnace of burning fire at that time," declared Awaj. All the king's officials who heard this proclamation fell down and bowed down to the golden image. He who does not fall down and bow down will be thrown into the furnace of burning fire at that time," declared Awaj. All the king's officials who heard this proclamation fell down and bowed down to the golden image. But Azariah (Shadrach), Ananias (Mishach) and Mishael (Abednego), who were appointed over the provinces of Babylon, did not worship the image that the king had set up. The workers told this news to the king. The king was very angry and summoned them to him. He warned them that if they did not bow down to the golden image that he had set up, they would be bound hand and foot and thrown into the fiery furnace. Thirty minutes, but "O Nebkhedenezor! We don't want to answer you with this. O king! The God we worship is in heaven, and he is able to save us from the burning furnace; He will save us from your hand. O king! If this is not the case, know that we will not worship your gods, and that we will not bow down to the golden image that you set up." King Nebkhedenezor's anger burned more than before, and he gave orders to ignite the fire seven times and to bind these three boys hand and foot and add them to the fire of the furnace without their robes. Because the order was urgent, they threw them into the fire. While this was happening, the three of them said to their God, "We trust you with all our hearts, we fear you, don't put us to shame, and we need your help." They were praying. God answered their prayers. The angel also sent Saint Gabriel to save them from the suffering that was coming to them. Saint Gabriel released their bonds. He cooled the fire like water.

   Three minutes later they sent the angel and thanked the God who saved them from the fire of the furnace by saying, "Glory be to God, the God of our fathers: your name is praised and glorified forever." King Nebuchadnezzar saw an angel with them in the form of a man, but who looked like the Son of God, as the three of them walked through the fire without being harmed by the fire. Just as the Holy Spirit said to the high priest Caiaphas and opened his mouth, "Don't you think that it is better for one man to die for the people than for all the people to perish" (John 11:49), so he said to Nebuchadnezzar, "Behold, I see four men who have been released and are walking in the midst of the fire, and nothing has touched them. He made him say, "It looks like a child." It was Saint Gabriel who had the appearance of the Son of God and later called him an angel.

   "We can confirm that it is him by the magnificence with which he appeared to the prophet Daniel. Nebuchadnezzar approached the fiery furnace and said to these boys, "You servants of the Most High God, Shadrach and Meshach, Abednegom, come and get out." And they came out of the fire, and all the princes and nobles, advisors and rulers of the country saw that the fire had no power over these boys, that it did not even burn a single particle of their hair, that their skin did not change, and that the smell of the fire did not reach them. King Nebuchadnezzar sent his angel and thanked the God of these saints who saved them. He proclaimed that anyone who utters blasphemy against their God will be killed and his house will be turned into a rubbish dump. Azariah, Ananias, and Mishael found favor with the king and his officials and were promoted in honor (Dan. 3).

   Therefore, the church commemorates this day on December 28 so that its flocks may learn the fruit of faith from these boys and persevere in worshiping God and understand the guidance of the angel Saint Gabriel. And she will celebrate him with great splendor. According to the doctrine of the church, faith is a Christian practice that should be seen in action. Anyone who claims to believe in Christ Jesus should strive to live like Christ from the moment he believes. The faith that was seen in the three minutes was not a faith that was built overnight, but a faith that came from believing in one God and living a holy life since childhood. These young men hoped for the crown of victory that they would receive from God, so he did not fear the fiery furnace that burned forty-nine cubits; Their strong faith in God tortured them to the point of burning them to death. By being like this, they pleased God with their faith. Therefore, God saved them from the fiery furnace by sending Saint Gabriel.

May the intercession and prayer of the angel Gabriel protect us.

Glory be to God, to the mother virgin and to the cross. Amen forever.