A
depiction of the Angel Gabriel announcing to Mary that she is to be
the mother of Jesus
Today,
reply is on whether the Virgin Mary was free to refuse carrying out
the will of GOD, and could quarrel against the Angel Gabriel who
announced to her that she was chosen by divinity to become the mother
of Jesus. The visitation she received was in the nature of a
sovereign proclamation to publish a royal decision, rather than a
request for acceptance and accord, or a secret communication intended
to preserve confidentiality and trust. The purpose of the visit to
Mary was not the foretelling of future events or an occasion for her
to worship an angel so much as the making visible of otherwise
invisible and unseen divine purposes. There would be no question and
answer sessions; and the young woman would have to develop her
understanding through such tools as discovery, gradual growth,
edification by the Spirit, study of the holy writings, and suffering.
Mary was raised as one dedicated, sanctified, and set apart for
divine service. Her lifestyle and daily routines would encourage no
defiance, no hesitation to serve, and no rebellion. She was chosen
to serve because she was both committed and prepared. It is written:
Luke 1: 28-35, King James Version (KJV): 28 And the angel came in
unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the
Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. 29
And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast
in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. 30 And the
angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with
God. 31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring
forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 32 He shall be great,
and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall
give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 And he shall reign
over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be
no end. 34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing
I know not a man? 35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The
Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall
overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born
of thee shall be called the Son of God. A fighter in the “Yahoo!
Answers” public forum on Religion & Spirituality who uses the
ID “Anonymous” (no profile information shared) posted the
following:
What
if Mary had said "No thanks" to the angel?
THE
GOLDEN ARROW: Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage
under the elements of the world: But when the fulness of the time
was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the
law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive
the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth
the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then
an heir of God through Christ. (Galatians 4: 3-7, KJV)
DOUBLE
DAGGER: Angels Appearing As Men (04/09/2020); Divinity and Human
Reproduction (11/08/2019); The Virginity of Mary (01/14/2019); Mary
and Joseph Followed (11/28/2018); Jacob Wrestled With GOD?
(09/26/2018); Doctrine, Faith and Mary? (09/01/2017); The Mother of
GOD? (12/09/2016)
“Anonymous”,
the Annunciation should be accepted as another important aspect of
full gospel truth. Christian believers have found that conjecture
and speculation that contradict Bible truth often generates confusion
and does not edify or increase their spiritual growth. Mary was
chosen to serve as the female vessel for the birth of Jesus because
she was sanctified and connected to GOD through her faith. Mary’s
responses to angelic visitation flowed from her inner spirit that had
been nurtured and prepared to unselfishly serve and exalt Almighty
GOD. The divine process and substance of such sacred events center
in the message, and not in the appearance or manner of the messenger.
The one who receives a divine communication has understanding of the
event by exercising discernment. Only through operations by the Holy
Spirit are the authority, origin, source, value, and weight of the
message established and proclaimed as authentic expression of divine
prerogative, eternal purpose, prophetic revelation, and the sovereign
will of GOD. The frameworks of divine law, covenant relationship,
redemption and salvation are correctly understood as the context
wherein the message must fit, more than the frameworks of politics,
secular knowledge or time and space. As servants who also
carry out and perform aspects of the divine will that include
judgment, angels are privileged to use admonition, sharpness, and
warnings even when dealing with those beloved and blessed of GOD.
Because matters having eternal consequences and effects are involved,
the messenger expects and requires displays and responses of
accountability, gravity, maturity, and sobriety. The angels are to
tolerate no challenges, impropriety, presumption, or skepticism.
Consider again the following that uses language from the Bible
describing the birth of John the Baptist, and a selection from the
music ministry of the Pro Musica Girl’s
Choir from Hungary acknowledging the Angelus that was offered
as daily prayer by Catholic believers:
(1.)
Joshua 5: 13-15, King James Version (KJV): 13 And it came to pass,
when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked,
and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn
in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art
thou for us, or for our adversaries? 14 And he said, Nay; but as
captain of the host of the LORD am I now come.
And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said
unto him, What saith my LORD unto his servant?
15 And the captain of the LORD’s
host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the
place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.
(2.)
Luke 1: 9-20, KJV: 9 According to the custom of the priest’s
office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of
the Lord. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying
without at the time of incense. 11 And there appeared unto him an
angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell
upon him. 13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for
thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son,
and thou shalt call his name John. 14 And thou shalt have joy and
gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. 15 For he shall be
great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor
strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from
his mother’s womb. 16 And many
of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. 17
And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn
the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the
wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. 18
And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I
am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years. 19 And the angel
answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of
God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad
tidings. 20 And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak,
until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou
believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.
(3.)
Luke 1: 59-66, KJV:
59
And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise
the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his
father. 60 And his mother answered and said, Not so;
but he shall be called John. 61 And they said unto her, There is
none of thy kindred that is called by this name. 62 And they made
signs to his father, how he would have him called. 63 And he asked
for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they
marvelled all. 64 And his mouth was opened immediately, and his
tongue loosed,
and he spake, and praised God. 65 And fear came on all that dwelt
round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad
throughout all the hill country of Judaea. 66 And all they that
heard them
laid them
up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And
the hand of the Lord was with him.
(4.)
Luke 1: 67-79, KJV: 67 And his father Zacharias was filled with
the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, 68 Blessed be the
Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, 69
And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his
servant David; 70
As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since
the world began: 71 That we should be saved from our enemies, and
from the hand of all that hate us; 72 To perform the mercy promised
to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; 73 The oath which
he sware to our father Abraham, 74 That he would grant unto us, that
we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him
without fear, 75 In holiness and righteousness before him, all the
days of our life. 76 And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of
the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to
prepare his ways; 77 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people
by the remission of their sins, 78 Through the tender mercy of our
God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, 79 To give
light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.
There
is far more that should be said, correctly examined, and spiritually
apprehended. (For example, (5.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kV7l0uqOD_8&list=PLN-HWgUQXbLN0d5BuUaMYlRM-Z4tim65s&index=4&t=0s.)
Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful. Be it unto you
according to your faith.
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Washington,
DC
