What the Bible Says About Michael

The name Michael means, "Who is like God."

Since the statement, "I will be like the most High" (Isaiah 14:14), coming from Lucifer, a created being, was blasphemous, the name Michael could only legitimately apply to One who was indeed equal with God.

Michael is mentioned five times in the Bible, and each reference supplies helpful identifying information:

1. Daniel 10:13. "One of the chief princes"
The margin reads, "the first of the princes."

Compare: "The Prince of princes." Daniel 8:25.
"The prince of the kings of the earth." Revelation 1:5.

2. Daniel 10:21. "Your prince"

"Prince," here, is the same word that is translated "Captain of the Lord's host" in Joshua 5:14, 15. The Hebrew word, sar, often refers to military commanders.

Compare that with "the prince of the host" in Daniel 8:11. In other words, the commander of the heavenly host. Revelation identifies Jesus as holding that position, for "the armies which were in heaven followed him." Revelation 19:14.

3. Daniel 12:1. "The great prince which standeth for the children of thy people"

Certainly this is none other than "the Messiah the Prince." Daniel 9:25. (See comments on Daniel 12:1.)

4. Jude 9. "The archangel"

Notice that it says, "the archangel." There is only one.
This verse mentions Michael contending with Satan over body of Moses, and saying, "The Lord rebuke thee." Compare that with Zechariah 3:2, where we find that "the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee."

The Archangel is the one whose voice will be heard at the resurrection (1 Thessalonians 4:16). That voice is "the voice of the Son of God" (John 5:25). For we are told that "the Lord . . . shall . . . utter his voice" (Joel 3:16).

Since arch can mean "ruler" or "chief", it could be said that the Archangel is the One who is over the angels, as Jesus is. It doesn't mean He is an angel Himself. But since the word angel simply means "messenger", whether heavenly, human or divine, the term archangel can also designate Jesus as the Father's primary messenger. That that is Jesus' role is evident from the channel of communication outlined in Revelation 1:1.

Read more about Jesus as the Archangel.

5. Revelation 12:7. "Michael and his angels fought against the dragon . . . and his angels"

The dragon is identified in Revelation 12:9 as "that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan." The contest is therefore between Michael, who is Jesus, and the serpent, who is Satan. The outcome of this conflict was foretold in Genesis 3:15, where the the promise was given that Jesus, the seed of the woman, would bruise the serpent's head, and the serpent would only bruise Jesus' heel.

It is evident from what the Bible says about Michael that He can be none other than Jesus Himself. Only the divine Son of God can fit the Bible's description of this Person.