The impact made by the good news of Christmas has been blunted in our day because we have lost understanding of the bad news that made it all necessary. Perhaps hearing about it from a different perspective will restore the missing ingredient.

My name is Gabriel

I came with this appearance so you would recognize me as an angel.

We angels sometimes wear blue jeans or business suits so we may look like ordinary people.

We change our appearance to do this. Our true appearance is much more disturbing to you humans.

One time when I appeared to the prophet Daniel long ago, he wrote that my body was like a precious jewel with limbs like brass, a face like lightning and eyes like flaming torches.

When we angels appear in our normal form to people, they are always frightened.

We have served God for many ages, since the beginning of time. We sing His praises, go on special missions, carry messages, protect His people and fight the enemy.

Who is the enemy, you ask? He used to be one of us, Lucifer, the lightbearer, who disgraced his name by rebelling against the Most High God.

He was created as the prince of angels but was not satisfied with that position.

He wanted to be, I can hardly speak it, just like the Lord God Himself.

Of course that is not possible. It is foolishness to even think it.

There is only One High God, Creator and sustainer of all that is. For one created by Him to rebel against Him is unthinkable, but Lucifer thought and did.

It was awful to have rebellion in the holy place of the Most High.

But judgment came swiftly. Michael and the loyal angels fought against Lucifer and his followers, for he convinced many lesser angels into siding with him.

Lucifer and his followers were thrown down and began immediately to do all they could to destroy the works of God.

He claimed as he fell that he too could be a creator.

We watched with horror as he approached the newly created man and woman on earth.

Why did not God intervene to prevent Lucifer from spreading his poison to the earth?

Lucifer did create something that God had not, the lie and with it he spoiled the entire Universe.

He earned a new name, as well, Satan, the adversary, the enemy. That has been the trademark of his work, to ruin and destroy whatever God loves.

By tricking you humans into obeying him, he gains authority over you and increases his kingdom which he hopes will exceed God's.

We angels thought when Eve and Adam ate the fruit -- thinking it would make them as wise as God -- that they too would be thrown forever out of His presence.

Yet God did something very strange.

He did send them out of the perfect Garden He had planted for them. Indeed, the whole Universe He had made for them began to decay and run down, but He continued to speak to them and listen to them.

He covered their sin with the blood of an innocent animal that was sacrificed to take the punishment they deserved.

This was something we did not understand.

Why had not the sins of Lucifer and the other fallen angels also been covered?

Of course, they were not sorry for their sin, and still are not. Satan had understood from the beginning exactly what he did, while the humans were deceived. Also, there are no animals of the angelic orders.

But how could the blood of innocent lambs cover forever the sins of thinking beings?

As time went on, we began to sense that there was something more. God had told Adam and Eve that their offspring would crush the head of the serpent, Satan who used to be called Lucifer.

Even though it seemed that most of your race continually turned against their Creator, as Lucifer had done, there always seemed to be a remnant that turned back to Him.

And when they turned to Him, He forgave them and looked on them as if they had never sinned.

When the entire world was destroyed in the flood, Noah and his family were saved.

Later we angels were sent with messages to the prophets. Mostly they were messages of warning but some were of messages of hope.

A Messiah, a Savior was to come who would conquer the enemy and take away the sin forever.

It was to the account of this Blameless One that the sins of those who asked forgiveness were being charged.But who would this be?

We did not know. Some thought it would be Michael, the guardian angel of Israel.

He said he had not been asked and did not think he would be able, although he is a great warrior.

Some angels even thought I, Gabriel, would go. I later began to carry many messages about these matters, but I could never carry the burden that was necessary to accomplish the mission.

I could not even truly understand what was involved to blot out the terrible sins that had been committed by every human being.

First I spoke to Zechariah and told him his wife would have a son who would be great and would turn the people's hearts towards God.

He did not believe because his wife had been unable to have children for many years and they were both getting old, but I caused him to lose his speech for a while, as a sign.

We angels sensed that something was soon to happen.

Then I was given the message to bring to Mary and the secret was out.

There was to be a Child born whose mother was Mary and whose Father was God, Himself.

This was to be none other than the Eternal Son, the Great Creator and Sustainer of the Whole Universe.

He would humble Himself and take on human form so that He could also take the great burden of sin from all of that creation.

In doing so, He would show the love of God in a form that had never before been imagined by any man or angel.

It was too wonderful for us angels to understand.

We felt great wonder and great sorrow at what He would suffer but also great awe at what He would accomplish.

For in this way He would rescue from the terrible dominion of the enemy, all those who put their trust in Him.

This is why I said to the shepherds, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby, wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a manger."

Then we all sang, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will to men."

Perhaps I or one of my brothers or sisters will see you again some day.

You may or may not recognize us because we sometimes disguise ourselves as strangers to test you humans and see how you will treat those who are hungry or homeless or sick.

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