Who Is Michael the Archangel?

19 Pages·2003·0.42 MB·English

by  Amazing Facts

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W I M
HO S ICHAEL
A
THE RCHANGEL?
BY DOUG BATCHELOR AND
DAVID BOATWRIGHT
Contents
The Michael Enigma ...........................................3
Warning ..............................................................5
The Key Is in the Name .......................................6
The Angel ofthe Lord .........................................7
Hagar ...................................................................8
Abraham .............................................................9
Copyright © 2002 by Jacob ..................................................................10
Moses .................................................................12
Doug Batchelor
Israel ..................................................................13
Balaam ...............................................................14
All rights reserved. Judges ................................................................15
Printed in the USA. Gideon ...............................................................15
Manoah .............................................................16
No One Has Seen the Father .............................17
Published by
The Angel ofthe Covenant ...............................18
Amazing Facts,Inc.
Rebuking the Accuser .......................................19
P.O.Box 1058 Michael the Prince ............................................21
Roseville,CA 95678-8058 Is Michael Only One ofMany? .........................23
Michael Stands Up ............................................25
The Voice ofMichael ........................................26
Edited by Anthony Lester
Worshiping the Commander ...........................27
Cover Design by Haley Trimmer
Who Is as God! ..................................................30
Layout Design by Greg Solie Conclusion ........................................................32
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The Michael Enigma
An Amazing Fact:
Questions frequently arise in Christian
When King Humbert of Italy inherited the circles about the true identity of the
throne,Naples teetered on the verge ofinsur-
mysterious biblical character known as
rection against the monarchy. Politicians
Michael, sometimes called “Michael the
urged violent measures to force the people
archangel” and “Michael the Great Prince.”
into submission, but the king did not allow
Some claim that Michael is the highest ofthe
this. Then cholera suddenly broke out in the
heavenly angels,one ofthe covering cherubs,
city,and the dreaded disease raged with fury.
or a special messenger like Gabriel. And
The young king,ignoring the warnings ofhis
advisors, left the palace and went alone therefore,he is a created being.Others,such
through Naples’ crowded hospitals. Moved as Bible commentator Matthew Henry,assert
with devotion and love for even his disloyal that Michael is simply another of the many
subjects,he ministered to them with his own names for Jesus Himself. Can we know the
hand. Many suffering people breathed real identity of this mysterious being?
prayers of gratitude to this young medical Obviously, the key to deciphering this puz-
servant, not knowing he was the very king
zling question is found in the Scriptures.
they spurned. When the plague was finally
“For precept must be upon precept, precept
checked, many learned the true identity of
upon precept,Line upon line,line upon line,
the noble nurse who had cared for them.
Here a little,there a little”(Isaiah 28:10).
Naples then became a conquered city—not
A quick look in a Bible concordance
by force, but by the love and pity of the
reveals that there are 15 references to the
monarch it once refused. From then on, the
people of Naples became Humbert's most name Michael in Scripture. Ten of these are
loyal subjects. simply people named Michael. In fact, the
entry for “Michael” in the lexicon (a Greek
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4 Who Is Michael the Archangel? Who Is Michael the Archangel? 5
and/or Hebrew dictionary) states, “The Warning
name of an archangel and nine Israelites.”It Before you proceed any further, please
is the identity of Michael,the archangel and carefully read and digest this next
prince, mentioned in the last five references thought. Because the word “angel” means
that we seek in this important study. messenger,it is used very freely and broadly
The first three of these references to in Scripture. Sometimes, men are called
Michael are in the Old Testament book of angels in the Bible (1 Samuel 29:9;Galatians
the prophet Daniel. The last two are men- 4:14). And sometimes angels are called men
tioned in the New Testament books of Jude (Genesis 32:24). And in other places,as will
and Revelation. With an honest study and be soon shown,God Himself is identified as
comparison of these and other verses, clues an angel! Of course, even angels are called
quickly emerge that lead us to an inescapable angels.
conclusion of Michael’s true identity; He is Typically, when a person thinks of an
none other than Jesus—He is not a created angel,they picture one of the many levels of
angel or cherub,but this name is another of winged,ministering spirits known as angels,
the many grand titles for God's eternal Son! seraphim, or cherubim. Unlike Jesus, these
At first glance, the Old Testament celestial beings are created. There are some
appears to portray Michael as a prince, and cults that teach that Jesus,before His earthly
the New Testament describes Him as an incarnation,was really just a powerful angel
archangel. But by looking at other related that had a feud with His wayward fellow
Scriptures where similar language and word- angel Lucifer.In turn,this means that Jesus is
ing are used, we will see an interesting pat- a created being who has been promoted by
tern emerge. the Father and therefore not the eternal God
as Christians accept.This study categorically
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rejects that view. Jesus is, and always has the heavenly courts is Lucifer, who became
been, God’s eternal Son and indeed God the devil or Satan,by claiming to “be like the
Himself. Any comparison made to Jesus as most High” (Isaiah 14:14). In Revelation
an angel in this study is simply in the classi- 12:7, Satan is opposed by “Michael and his
cal sense as a greatest messenger of salvation angels”and is cast out of heaven.
and is in no way intended to diminish from
His eternal divinity. The Angel ofthe Lord
The phrase “angel of the Lord” is found
The Key Is in the Name 68 times in Scripture. Sometimes it
First,let's consider the meaning ofsome applies to Gabriel who appeared to Daniel,
words and names. In the Greek New Zacharias, and Mary. But Gabriel is called
Testament, the word “angel” means “mes- “an”angel of the Lord (Luke 1:11).He is not
senger,” and “arch” means “chief, principle, referred to as “the”angel ofthe Lord.Neither
greatest, or highest.” So “archangel” simply is he ever called the archangel. (And while
means “highest or greatest messenger.” The we’re on the subject, the popular angel
Hebrew name “Michael,” found in the Old Raphael does not appear anywhere in
Testament, means “who is like God” or Scripture.) Gabriel is probably one of the
sometimes it forms a question:“Who is like two covering cherubs who flank the throne
God?” So the title Michael the archangel ofGod.Remember that he said to Zacharias,
can be translated as“The greatest messenger “I am Gabriel,who stands in the presence of
who is God.” Whether this name is a ques- God,” (Luke 1:19). Lucifer once held the
tion, statement, or a challenge will be clear other position before his fall (Ezekiel 28:14).
by further study.One angel did profess to be Ifthe highest rank held by an angel is that of
like God. That covering cherub fallen from the covering cherubs by the throne of God,
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then who and what is an archangel? And who maid until Hagar fled into the desert. “And
is this mighty individual identified as “the the angel ofthe Lord found her by a fountain
angel of the Lord” who performs such of water in the wilderness” (Genesis 16:7).
prominent rolls in the redemption of man? The angel told Hagar to go back and submit
God the Father created all things to Sarah and promised that her son,Ishmael,
through Jesus (Hebrews 1:2;Ephesians 3:9). would be the father of a great nation.When
It is not implausible to assume that if Christ the “angel” disappeared, Hagar “called the
came to earth and became a man in His bat- name of the Lord that spake unto her, Thou
tle against Satan to save human beings, He God seest me” (verse 13). It appears Hagar
might also have in some way identified with recognized that the “angel of the Lord”who
the angels to protect them from Satan's evil had spoken to her was really God. But keep
influence in heaven.In fact,there are several reading;it gets clearer!
references in Scripture to a mysterious being
identified as “the angel of the Lord” before Abraham
Christ's earthly incarnation. Yet each time God told Abraham to sacrifice his son
He is mentioned,there are clues to His iden- Isaac on mount Moriah.Just as he was
tity.Let's review them briefly in the order in about to plunge the dagger into his son of
which they appear. promise,the angel of the Lord stopped him.
“And the angel of the Lord called unto him
Hagar out of heaven, and said, ‘Abraham,
After Hagar the handmaid of Abraham Abraham’: and he said, ‘Here am I.’ And he
bore Ishmael,she and the barren Sarah said,‘Lay not thine hand upon the lad, nei-
could no longer coexist peacefully. Sarah ther do thou any thing unto him: for now I
dealt severely with her now haughty hand- know that thou fearest God,seeing thou hast
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not withheld thy son, thine only son from low and anointed it with oil to solemnize his
me’”(Genesis 22:11,12). vow. Then he named the place Beth-el, or
It is clear that Abraham was offering his house of God, since God had appeared to
son to God and not to a mere angel.“And the him there.
angel ofthe Lord called unto Abraham out of Twenty years later,Jacob was on his way
heaven the second time,And said,‘By myself back home, not a penniless fugitive, but a
have I sworn,saith the Lord,for because thou wealthy man. God decided to remind Jacob
hast done this thing, and hast not withheld who had really brought him success. Here's
thy son,thine only son: That in blessing I will how Jacob recounted the story: “And the
bless thee, … because thou hast obeyed my angel ofGod spake unto me in a dream,say-
voice’”(Genesis 22:15-18).In recounting this ing, Jacob: And I said, Here am I” (Genesis
experience of Abraham in Acts 3:25, Peter 31:11).In verse 13,this “angel ofGod”iden-
also identifies this “angel of the Lord” who tifies Himself: “I am the God of Beth-el,
made a covenant with the Patriarch as God. where thou anointedst the pillar, and where
thou vowedst a vow unto me.”
Jacob Then,when Jacob wrestled with a heav-
While fleeing from his angry brother enly being (Genesis 32:22–32),he was given
Esau, Jacob had a dream in which a new name and blessed him.Jacob called the
God confirmed the covenant of Abraham to name of the place Peniel, “For I have seen
him. After receiving assurance that God God face to face, and my life is preserved”
would be with him and bring him back safe- (verse 30).In the New Testament,Jesus is the
ly to his home in Canaan, Jacob vowed to one who blesses His people and gives them a
return to God a tithe of all his increase. He new name (Matthew 5:3–12; Revelation
set up the stone he had been using for a pil- 2:17).As you can see,it is becoming increas-
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ingly clear that the angel of the Lord is Jesus out ofthe midst ofthe bush.”And in verse 6
Himself. He identifies Himselfagain.“I am the God of
When Jacob was on his deathbed bless- thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of
ing Joseph's two sons, Ephraim and Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” The angel of
Manasseh, he used the terms “angel” and the Lord identifies Himself as God!
“God” interchangeably. “God, before whom In his last sermon before he was stoned
my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk,the to death, Stephen agrees with the Exodus
God which fed me all my life long unto this account.“And when forty years were expired,
day, The Angel which redeemed me from all there appeared to him in the wilderness of
evil,bless the lads”(Genesis 48:15,16). mount Sinai an angel of the Lord in a flame
The Scriptures are very clear there is nei- offire in a bush.When Moses saw it,he won-
ther a redeemer nor savior but God.“I,even dered at the sight: and as he drew near to
I,am the LORD,And besides Me there is no behold it, the voice of the Lord came unto
savior; Thus says the LORD,your Redeemer” him,Saying,I am the God ofthy fathers,the
(Isaiah 43:11,14).Once again we see that the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and
angel who redeemed Jacob is another name the God ofJacob”(Acts 7:30-32).
for our Redeemer,Jesus!
Israel
Moses In another instance, the children of Israel
Moses saw a burning bush that was not were led through the wilderness by God.
consumed.“And the angel ofthe Lord “And the Lord went before them by day in a
appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of pillar ofa cloud,to lead them the way; and by
the midst of a bush” (Exodus 3:2). Verse 4 night in a pillar offire,to give them light; to
identifies this angel: “God called unto him go by day and night” (Exodus 13:21).Moses
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later describes this being that led them this (Numbers 23:4,5).Here again,“the angel of
way: “And the angel of God, which went the Lord”turns out to be God Himself.
before the camp of Israel,removed and went
behind them; and the pillar ofthe cloud went Judges
from before their face, and stood behind Now let’s move on to the book of
them” (Exodus 14:19). Again, “the angel of Judges,where we read,“And an ‘angel
God”is identified as God. ofthe LORD’came up from Gilgal to Bochim,
and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt,
Balaam and have brought you unto the land which I
The angel of the Lord again figures sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will
prominently in the story ofBalaam and never break my covenant with you”(2:1).By
his talking donkey.It is this angel who saves now we should recognize a pattern.Just who
the donkey from her merciless master and brought the Israelites out ofEgypt and made
nearly kills the covetous prophet, who is on the covenant with Israel that He would never
his way to curse God's people (Numbers break—the angel of the Lord or pre-incar-
22:21-35). After Balaam's close brush with nate son ofGOD Himself? Yes! The answer is
death, “the angel of the Lord said unto both,one and the same.
Balaam,Go with the men: but only the word
that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shall Gideon
speak” (verse 35). The next chapter reveals Gideon has an encounter with the angel
who put the words in the prophet's mouth: ofthe Lord in the book ofJudges.The
“And God met Balaam: … And the Lord put angel tells Gideon that the Lord is with him.
a word in Balaam's mouth,and said,Return Gideon points to the oppression of Israel by
unto Balak, and thus shalt thou speak” the Midianites as evidence to the contrary.
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“And the Lord looked upon him,and said,Go would be called,“Wonderful,Counselor,The
in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel mighty God, The everlasting Father, The
from the hand of the Midianites: have not I Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). The name
sent thee?” (Judges 6:14). Throughout the “Wonderful” for the angel of the Lord who
rest of the narrative, the person speaking to appeared to Manoah connects this “angel”
Gideon is identified interchangeably as the with the coming Messiah who was to be
Lord,the angel of the Lord,and the angel of called “Wonderful.”
God. Once again,after seeing this “Wonderful
messenger,” Manoah declared they had seen
Manoah God.And Manoah said to his wife,“We shall
Samson's mother, the wife of Manoah, surely die, because we have seen God!”
was barren.“And the angel ofthe Lord (Judges 13:22).
appeared unto the woman” (Judges 13:3).
This angel told her she would bear a son who No One Has Seen the Father
would deliver the apostate Israelites from Suddenly we have more leads than we
their heathen oppressors. She quickly called can follow! We can clearly see that
Manoah, who prayed for another visit from “angel ofthe Lord”is frequently identified to
the “man ofGod.”When the angel came the be God Himself. But the Bible states, “No
second time, Manoah asked him his name. man hath seen God at any time; the only
The King James says that the angel told begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the
Manoah that his name was “Secret,” with a Father, he hath declared him” (John 1:18).
margin notation that translates it as John 6:46 also tells us, “Not that any man
“Wonderful.” This immediately makes us hath seen the Father,save he which is ofGod,
think of Isaiah's familiar prophecy that Jesus he hath seen the Father.”Obviously,since no