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She was a descendant of David. Luke's genealogy of Jesus, in chapter 3, shows Mary to be a direct
descendant of King David through his son Nathan.
She was a virgin. She had to be a virgin because the prophets said she would be. Isaiah the prophet
said: “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son,
and shall call his name Immanuel.” (Isa. 7:14)
She was genuinely humble: She recognized that God was choosing her in spite of her low estate,
including her personal need for salvation (Luke 1:48) Epibiblpo (Grk.): Looked upon, given attention
to, regarded, respected
God uses the humble to accomplish great things (Matt. 5:5, 1 Cor. 1:26-29)
Perhaps what you choose to build your life around determines the gift(s) you will be
given?
She was a willing bond servant of God. She referred to herself as the "Handmaid” or “Slave-Girl" of
the Lord. (Luke 1:38)
A bond servant is one who gives himself up to another’s will and is devoted to that other to the
disregard of their own interests.
We can’t always control our circumstances, but we can control our response to those
circumstances (2 Cor. 12:7-10)
Every obstacle is an opportunity to rejoice and be rewarded for following God’s lead
She did not doubt God’s power. Mary asked how with respect to means not possibility
(contrast Zechariah 1:18)
God has great things to do in us. The question is never, “Can He do it?” but “Will we
submit to Him?” Mary provides the model Christian response.
She recognized that God was doing a great thing through her (Luke 1:49)
Megaleios (Grk.): Magnificent, excellent, wonderful works
Mary chose not to focus on what others might think but on what God thought and what she
knew of Him.
As a result of this, she was highly favored (Luke 1:28 & 42)
Charitoo (Grk.): Highly favored, blessed, honored, extended great grace (undeserved
kindness), touched by God, the Lord is with (see also Phil.4:13)
Gabriel’s Credentials
The scriptures teach us that angels are heavenly beings charged by God with a mission. They bring instruction
and encouragement to God’s chosen people (Heb. 1:14)
Gabriel described himself in his conversation with Zechariah saying, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of
God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news.
In Jewish tradition (1 Enoch 40), Gabriel is considered one of the top four in rank, perhaps second only to
Michael. In intertestamental Jewish literature, Gabriel is one of the archangels, the ‘angels of the presence’
who stand before God’s throne praising him and interceding for men (Tobit 12:15; Jubilees 2:2; 1QH 6:13;
1QSb 4; Testament of Levi 3:5, 7; cf. Luke. 1:19; Rev. 8:2). The other four archangels mentioned by name in
either the pseudopigraphal intertestimental writings or Holy Scripture are Michael, Sariel (or Uriel) and
Raphael.
The only two angels whose names are mentioned in the canonized scriptures are those of Michael and Gabriel.
Gabriel’s name means “strength or prevailer of God”. God gave Gabriel the perfect name to announce the
coming of the Messiah.