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Michael the Great Prince -- Who Is He?
The spirit creature Michael is not mentioned often in the Bible, but
when he is, the context is always dramatic. In Daniel we see him fighting
wicked angels in behalf of God's people. In Jude he is disputing with Satan
over the body of Moses. And in the book of Revelation he casts Satan and
his demons down to earth. Evidently, Michael is a key figure in heaven.
Hence, it is proper to wonder, Who is Michael?
For many years, Jehovah's Witnesses have taught that Michael is a
heavenly name for the only-begotten Son of God, who was named Jesus while on
earth. However, most other religions view Michael as one of several
archangels, as if there were more than one archangel. In view of this, Is
the teaching of Jehovah's Witnesses correct? What does the Bible say about
Michael?
"The Prince of You People"
We are introduced to the one named Michael in the book of Daniel.
There an angel of God refers to him in these words: "But the prince of the
royal realm of Persia was standing in opposition to me for twenty-one days,
and, look! Michael, one of the foremost princes, came to help me ... And now
I shall go back to fight with the prince of Persia. When I am going forth,
look! also the prince of Greece is coming. However, I shall tell you the
things noted down in the writing of truth, and there is no one holding
strongly with me in these things but Michael, the prince of you people." --
Daniel 10:13, 20, 21.
Here we have a fascinating glimpse of the spirit realm. We see that
spirit creatures -- good and bad -- are very much involved in world affairs.
There was a spirit "prince of the royal realm of Persia," opposing the
activities of God's angel. After Persia there would be a "prince of
Greece," promoting the interests of that world power. Among the spirit
creatures, Michael was one of "the foremost princes." Which nation did he
guide and protect? Clearly, it was Daniel's people, the Jews.
The name "Michael" means "Who Is Like God?" thus indicating that this
foremost prince upholds Jehovah's sovereignty. Since Michael is also a
champion of God's people, we have reason to identify him with the unnamed
angel that God sent ahead of the Israelites hundreds of years before: "Here
I am sending an angel ahead of you to keep you on the road and to bring you
into the place that I have prepared. Watch yourself because of him, for he
will not pardon your transgression; because my name is within him." --
Exodus 23:20, 21.
It is logical to conclude that this was the angel that delivered so
many important communications to God's people. (Acts 7:30, 35; Judges 2:1-3)
He had full authority from God to act in His name, just as kings in ancient
times entrusted their seal rings to reliable subjects, empowering them to
act in his their name. -- Exodus 3:2, 3; 4:10.
Is there anything here to make us believe that Michael and Jesus Christ
are the same person? Well, Jesus is called "the Word." (John 1:1) He is
God's spokesman. This special angelic messenger, too, was clearly God's
chief spokesman to the Israelites.
Michael "Stands Up"
Michael was "the prince of you people." But he was to receive
additional authority. We next see him in the final chapter of the book of
Daniel. "And during that time Michael will stand up, the great prince who
is standing in behalf of the sons of your people. And there will certainly
occur a time of distress such as has not been made to occur since there came
to be a nation until that time." -- Daniel 12:1.
Daniel, in chapter 11, had just described the march of world powers
from his own time on into the future. He had accurately described the fall
of Persia and the rise of Greece. Then came the partitioning of the Greek
empire. Two of the resulting political entities -- the king of the north
and the king of the south -- would vie for ascendancy and control over God's
people. At the climax of that rivalry, Michael would "stand up." What does
that mean?
Well, in other parts of this same prophecy, the term "stand up" means
that the person assumes authority to rule as a king. (Daniel 11:3, 4, 7, 20,
21) Hence, when Michael "stands up" he, too, starts to rule as a king.
Consider the implications of this.
Before Daniel died, the last Jewish king, Zedekiah, had been deposed.
There would be no Jewish king for centuries to come. Daniel's prophecy
showed that one day in the future God's people would once again have a king
-- Michael.
Ezekiel, Daniel's contemporary, foretold the coming of one "who has the
legal right" to rule again as king of God's people. (Ezekiel 21:25-27) This
one in not to be identified with the Levite Maccabees who exercised some
authority during a brief period of independence. Not being descendants of
King David, they had no "legal right" to be kings. Rather, it was Jesus
Christ who was anointed by God to rule as king in a heavenly kingdom. (Luke
1:31-33; 22:29, 30; Psalm 110:1) He was the only one thus anointed. It is
therefore only logical to say that Jesus and Michael are the same person.
In Daniel chapter 7, there is another prophecy about the march of world
powers that has parallels with Daniel chapter 11. At the climax of that
prophecy, however, we read that "someone like a son of man" was "given
rulership and dignity and kingdom." (Daniel 7:13, 14) The one "like a son
of man" is widely recognized as Jesus. (Matthew 10:23; 26:64; Revelation
14:14) Hence, in the climax of one prophecy, Jesus becomes a king. In the
other prophecy in Daniel, Michael becomes a king. Since both prophecies
deal with the same time and the same event, surely it is reasonable to
conclude that they are also dealing with the same person.
The Archangel
We next read of Michael in the Christian Greek Scriptures. The book of
Jude tells us: "But when Michael the archangel had a difference with the
Devil and was disputing about Moses' body, he did not dare to bring a
judgement against him in abusive terms, but said: `May Jehovah rebuke you.'"
(Jude 9) This incident helps to show the closeness of Michael to God's
ancient people. Therefore, it supports the argument that he was the angel
that went ahead of the Israelites to protect them.
We learn from Jude that Michael had the post of archangel. In fact, he
was =the= archangel, since no other archangel is mentioned in the Bible, nor
does the Bible use "archangel" in the plural. "Archangel" means "Chief of
the angels." (Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament) Among
God's spirit servants, only two names are associated with authority over
angels: Michael and Jesus Christ. (Matthew 16:27; 25:31; 2 Thessalonians
1:7) This, too, argues that Jesus and Michael are the same.
Interestingly, the name of Jesus is linked with the word "archangel" in
one of Paul's letters. The apostle writes: "The Lord [Jesus] himself will
descend from heaven with a commanding call, with an =archangel's= voice and
with God's trumpet." (1 Thessalonians 4:16) The context places this event
during "the presence of the Lord," when Jesus has started to rule as king. -
- 1 Thessalonians 4:15; Matthew 24:3; Revelation 11:15-18.
It is Jehovah's will and arrangement for Jesus to resurrect the dead.
(John 6:38-40) It is God's trumpet that sounds the call for the dead to
come back to life, just as God instructed that trumpets be used for an
assembly of his people in ancient times. (Numbers 10:1-10) Jesus issues "a
commanding call" to the dead to come forth, just as he did on occasion while
on earth. (John 11:43) But now he calls, not with a man's voice as he did
then, but with all the power of "an archangel's voice" (en pho-ne' arkh-ag-
ge'lou). However, only an archangel can call with an archangel's voice!
And no one but Jesus has been given the authority to resurrect the dead.
Hence, this rousing prophecy gives additional strong reason for identifying
Jesus with the archangel, Michael.
War in Heaven
The final appearance of the name Michael in the Bible is in the book of
Revelation. There we read: "And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his
angels battled with the dragon, and the dragon and its angels battled but it
did not prevail." (Revelation 12:7, 8) Here we see Michael in action as
God's archangel. He, along with "his angels," defeats Satan and casts him
down to the earth.
This is the beginning of the "short period of time" before Satan's
wicked system is completely destroyed. After the end of Babylon the Great
at the hands of the nations, the nations themselves are destroyed by Jesus
and his angelic armies. (Revelation 12:12; 17:16, 17; 19:11-16) Finally,
Satan is abyssed for a thousand years, after which he suffers complete
annihilation in "the lake of fire." (Revelation 20:1, 2, 10) This -- the
long-promised final `crushing of Satan's head' -- is also accomplished by
Jesus, along with his resurrected spiritual brothers. -- Genesis 3:15;
Galatians 3:16; Romans 16:20.
Since Jesus is the one prophesied to crush Satan's head, and since he
accomplishes all these other judgement acts, it is only logical to conclude
that he would lead heaven's armies in the casting of Satan out of heaven.
Hence, the conquering Michael referred to in Revelation 12 must be Jesus,
who was told by Jehovah to "go subduing in the midst of [his] enemies." --
Psalm 110:1, 2; Acts 2:34, 35.
The appearance of the name Michael, instead of Jesus, in Revelation
chapter 12 draws our attention to the prophecy considered earlier in Daniel
chapter 12. In Daniel we read of Michael's standing up. (Daniel 12:1) In
Revelation chapter 12, Michael acts like a conquering monarch throwing Satan
down to the earth. The result: "Woe for the earth and for the sea." --
Revelation 12:12.
Jesus an Angel?
Some object to identifying Jesus with the angel of Jehovah mentioned in
the Hebrew Scriptures. For Trinitarians, of course, such an identification
poses a problem since it shows conclusively that he is not equal to Jehovah
God. But even some who do not accept the Trinity doctrine feel that Jesus'
identity with an angel somehow detracts from his dignity.
Remember, though, that the basic meaning of "angel" (Hebrew, mal-akh';
Greek, ag'ge-los) is "messenger." As the "Word" (Greek, lo'gos), Jesus is
God's messenger par excellence. Remember, too, that as the archangel, as
well as "the firstborn of all creation," Jesus had the highest rank among
the angels even before he came to earth. -- Colossians 1:15.
True, the apostle Paul wrote to the Hebrews: "He [Jesus] has become
better than the angels, to the extent that he has inherited a name more
excellent than theirs." (Hebrews 1:4; Philippians 2:9, 10) However, this
describes his situation =after= his having been here on earth. He was still
the archangel and "the beginning of the creation by God." (Revelation 3:14)
But he =became= better than the angels. The `more excellent name' or
position is something he did not posses before coming to earth. (These
scriptures contradict the Trinitarian concept that the Son is and always has
been equal in every way to the Father.)
Hence, the fact that Michael is the archangel, chief of the angels, the
fact that he stands up to rule as King, and the fact that he takes the lead
in casting Satan out of heaven at the time of the birth of God's Kingdom all
lead us to just one conclusion: `Michael the great prince' is none other
than Jesus Christ himself. -- Daniel 12:1.