Amazing Facts-Who is Michael?
Creation Science Prophecy Site (I can't fully endorse this whole site because I have not had time to go through all of it yet. The info on Michael seems solid.)
Who is Michael? (Summary)
Michael is just another one of the many titles for Jesus Christ. The OT describes Michael as a prince, and the NT describes him as an archangel. The word “angel” actually means messenger not necessarily a winged being. Angelic beings are created. SDA’s do not believe or teach that Jesus is a created being. Jesus is God’s eternal son and God in the flesh. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one.
Name
In the Greek NT, the word “angel” means “messenger,” and “arch” means “chief, principle, greatest, or highest.” Archangel simply means the chief or highest messenger. The name Michael means “who is like God”. This could be translated as the chief or highest messenger who is like God.
Angel of the Lord
Who is the angel of the lord who intervenes and performs prominent roles in man’s redemption? In Gen 16:7, the Angel of the Lord appeared to Hagar. He appeared to Abraham just as he was about to sacrifice Isaac in Gen 22. Jacob wrestled with Him (Gen 32). Moses saw Him in the burning bush (Ex 3:2). Acts 7 makes it clear that the Angel of the Lord is God. He was the pillar of a cloud and pillar of fire for the Israelites in the wilderness (Ex 13 & 14). There are many more examples of Him in the Bible.
No One Has Seen the Father
The Angel of the Lord is identified as God Himself, but the Bible says that no man has seen the father at any time. Is this a contradiction? Are all the naysayers correct that the Bible is correct and contradicts itself? See John 1:18 & 6:46. Or is the Angel of the Lord actually Jesus who appears in the OT?
Rebuking the Accuser
Compare Zechariah 3:2 and Jude 1:9. The Lord from Zechariah speaks the same words as Michael.
Michael the Prince
Michael is mentioned more in Daniel than any other book. (See Daniel 10:13, 10:21, 12:1). Isaiah calls the messiah the “prince of peace” (see Isaiah 9:6). Daniel 9:25 refers to him as “Messiah the Prince”. Many other verses refer to Jesus as the Prince.
Is Michael Only One of Many?
Daniel 10:13 is probably the most difficult verse regarding Michael. It seems like Michael is “one of” the princes from this verse. The translation in the King James may be the issue. Instead of “one of”, this could also be translated as “greatest of”. Satan is also a prince… Prince of the kingdom of Persia, Prince of the Power of the Air, and Prince of this World. Therefore, Jesus would definitely be the greatest of the princes. Michael is called Daniel’s prince in Daniel 10:21. Daniel’s messiah is called the prince in Daniel 9:25.
Michael Stands Up
Michael stands up in Daniel Chapter 12. Matthew Henry’s commentary states as follows: “Michael signifies, ‘Who is like God,’ and his name, with the title of ‘the great Prince,’ points out the Divine Savior. Christ stood for the children of our people in their stead as a sacrifice, bore the curse for them, to bear it from them. He stands for them in pleading for them at the throne of grace.”
Worshiping the Commander
Revelation portrays Michael as the leader of the heavenly hosts or armies in the war against Lucifer. Rev 12:7. The commander of the Lord’s army also shows up in Joshua 5:13-15. Joshua worshiped this being. Why would Joshua worship a created being?! The angel in Ref 10:10 and 22:8-9 rebuked John for trying to worship him. Angels do not want your worship unless they are evil angels. Jesus does want your worship. Some people might try to say that Satan makes appearances in the OT. If you know that Jesus is Michael, the commander of the Lord’s army, then you cannot fall prey to this deception.I left out many things from the booklet. I would encourage you to look at the links provided if you have any doubts about this topic.
totally disagree w/ this one, my friend :)
ReplyDeleteHey Carmen! Did you read through all of the booklet and the info there? What part do you disagree with?
ReplyDeleteI would be more concerned if Michael or the angel of the Lord was not Jesus because they do things that only Jesus/God is supposed to do and receive worship. Also, people such as Matthew Henry point to Michael as Jesus. Any time Michael shows up it means a victory over Satan. Again, I would like to point out that I do not believe that Jesus is a created being or an angel. Archangel just means the commander or leader of the angels. It's like the President of the US. He is not a soldier, but he's a commander of the army. Michael is a title for Jesus like Commander. But it's not a salvational issue!
John Wesley's notes point to Michael as Christ-Daniel 10: Michael - Christ alone is the protector of his church, when all the princes of the earth desert or oppose it.
http://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/wesleys-explanatory-notes/daniel/daniel-10.html
Also, if Michael is not Jesus, then how do we justify the commander of the Lord's army or the Angel of the Lord (burning bush, Joshua, etc) receiving worship? This is why naysayers will say that the Bible contradicts itself, and we can't believe it!
I found another good resource that states as follows:
ReplyDeleteDr. Frances N. Lee Professor-Emeritus of Systematic Theology and Church History, Queensland Presbyterian Theological Seminary, says.“The dominant Pre-Mediaeval view was that [Jesus] the Second Person of the Triune God Himself is “The Angel of the Lord”. This mainline traditional view of the Early Church was rediscovered by the Protestant Reformation and stressed also by Calvin [Martin Luther], and later by Matthew Henry, Haevernick, Keil, Delitzsch, and Hengstenberg, etc.”
Who changed this understanding that Michael is Jesus? Would it be a surprise if I told you it was the Papacy?
Dr Lee also states: “It was only with and after ‘Pope’ Gregory the Great (who died in 604), that later Scholastics such as Thomas Aquinas systematized an alternative view. Thus it became the view of the mediaeval Church that ‘The Angel of the Lord’ was merely a created archangel called Michael - and not the divine Michael-Christ as the one and only Archangel and uncreated Leader of all created angels (as in Daniel 12:1, First Thessalonians 4:16, Jude 9 and Revelation 12:7f).”
Unfortunately when some groups have taught that Michael is Jesus, they have taught that Jesus was a created angel and not fully God. This is not true. However based on scripture, the early church and many of the reformers taught that Michael is Jesus the always existing creator, 2nd person of the Godhead. This is the view that we take.
For further study see www.creation-science-prophecy.com/michael.htm