Why Did Angel Gabriel Mute Zechariah? Divine Authority or Angelic Discretion?

Do Angels Have Autonomy? A Question from Luke 1:20

In Luke 1:20, the angel Gabriel appears to Zechariah to announce the birth of John the Baptist. During this encounter, Gabriel introduces himself by 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."

However, after Zechariah expresses doubt about the message, Gabriel declares that Zechariah will be unable to speak until the prophecy is fulfilled.

"And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words..."

This raises an important theological question:

Did the angel Gabriel act on his own authority to mute Zechariah, or was this decision directly commanded by God?

Gabriel clearly states that he was sent by God and that he stands in the presence of God. However, the text does not explicitly mention that God instructed him to impose the punishment of muteness on Zechariah.

This leads to a broader question about angelic nature and function in Scripture:

• Do angels have the ability to make independent decisions while carrying out divine assignments?
• Or do they strictly execute only what God commands without any personal discretion?
• Is there any biblical evidence that angels operate with a degree of autonomy?

Kindly share biblical insights, theological perspectives, or supporting scriptures that can help clarify whether angels act independently or solely under direct divine instruction.