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Jehovah's Witnesses, Bible Students, Church of Latter Day Saints and many New Age Christians do teach that Jesus was in fact the Archangel Michael while he was yet in Heaven. They base their teachings on the following passages: Daniel 10, Revelation 12 and Jude. Here we conduct an unbiased and honest inquiry into the topic.
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Why do I write this?
You may ask: What if Jesus was in fact Michael? Why one has to concern him/herself? My dear brother / sister, this one teaching can cost you your eternal life!
Col 2:18 Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
Let us read Daniel 10:5-13, to start with. Daniel has a vision in which:
5) I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, a man clothed in linen [Let's call him Man-In-Linen], whose loins were girded with pure gold of Uphaz:
6) his body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as flaming torches, and his arms and his feet like unto burnished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude.
Seeing this Man-In-Linen Daniel fell on the floor. The Man-In-Linen lifted up Daniel and speaks to him:
12) Then said he [Man-In-Linen] unto me, Fear not, Daniel; for from the first day that thou didst set thy heart to understand, and to humble thyself before thy God, thy words were heard: and I am come for thy words' sake.
13) But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days; but, lo, MICHAEL, one of the chief princes, CAME TO HELP ME: and I remained there with the kings of Persia.
Man-In-Linen says MICHAEL CAME TO HELP ME - Which means Man-In-Linen cannot be Michael.
Assume that The Man-In-Linen is me, Tomsan. Is it possible that Tomsan would say: I was coming to you, Daniel, but someone stopped me on the way and Tomsan came to help me? - does it make sense?
Blind can see, deaf can hear, but none can help those who fail to see the difference.
Meaning of Michael
One of the strong arguments for claiming that Jesus was Michael is the meaning of the word Michael in Strong's lexicon.
H4317 מיכאל (mı̂ykâ'êl, me-kaw-ale')
From H4310 and (the prefixed derivation from) H3588 and H410; who (is) like God? Mikael, the name of an archangel and of nine Israelites: - Michael.
Let us separate the meaning alone: who is like God?
What do you think? Is this a question or a statement? For me it is a question implying that none can be compared to God. But, for those who teach that Jesus = Michael this is a statement. I suggest them to learn English first and Hebrew next.
As I said, blind may see, but not someone who deludes himself.
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Michael in Revelation 12
There are some who claim that Michael that wages war with the dragon was Jesus. Proof?
They say throughout the New Testament (barring the epistle of Jude and Revelation 12) Michael was not at all mentioned. Is it a valid, strong argument?
If you have noticed, there are only 2 angels mentioned by names -
And
If these people claim that Michael was not at all mentioned in the New Testament (except in the two instances mentioned above), who are these two angels?
Joh 20:12 And she [Mary] saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet.
Do we have to assume that God appointed a new set of angels for the task? Just because some of our brethren have made some fantastic theory?
Reading further we see that Jesus was present right there!
Joh 20:13 They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him."
Joh 20:14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus.
If Jesus was standing behind her, and the 2 angels (one almost certainly Michael) before her, can anyone prove that Jesus and Michael are same?
The Child of Revelation 12 - was it the same Michael who waged war?
Since we are exploring every possibility let us consider this angle also. Because the passage says:
Rev 12:5 She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne,
Rev 12:6 and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days.
Rev 12:7 Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back,
What they say is that the child was taken to heaven and since the battle started immediately, the child should be Michael and thus Jesus should have been Michael.
But wait! If the child was Jesus, then the woman should be Mary, and as we know Mary was never nourished in the wilderness for 1260 days!
If Jesus is in fact Michael, then why he has to wage war after ascension? Has not God told:
"Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet"? Psa 110:1, Luk 20:43, Act 2:35, Heb 1:13.
Having said that, will he go out to wage war? Frankly, if you still believe that Michael of Revelation 12 is Jesus, you will believe anything.
Those who read the Bible in various translations might have noticed that this verse is translated variously:
KJV: For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
NIV: You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor.
Since various versions have rendered the object of the sentence as him and them, let us examine as to who the real object of this scripture is. Fortunately, the subject is uniformly translated in most of the versions (minus NIV) and we read thus in the the preceding verse - Psalms 8:4:
KJV: What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
ESV: what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?
NIV: what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?
ASV: What is man, that thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that thou visitest him?
Barring a few occurrences, the expression "son of man" always used to address Ezekiel (93 times), Daniel (once) or Jesus (90 times).
Since Apostle Paul quotes Psalms 8:5 in Heb 2:6, we know that the reference is to Jesus who addressed himself as Son of Man!
KJV: Thou madest him a little lower than the angels...
ESV: You made him for a little while lower than the angels...
NIV: You made them a little lower than the angels...
ASV: Thou madest him a little lower than the angels...
Since Apostle Paul says angels many assume that it is angels and not God. But we have to remember that Apostle Paul and his contemporaries used the Greek Septuagint of Old Testament. (I am not getting into the merits or demerits of Septuagint, here).
In the Septuagint translation of Psalms 8:5 the critical word is rendered as ἀγγέλους (ang'-el-os G32 in Strongs Lexicon).
But we know that Old Testament was written in Hebrew and the Hebrew word used here is Eloheem, #430 in Strong's lexicon. And Eloheem is always God (though it is few times mistranslated otherwise in KJV, there are no meanings as great, judges or mighty).
To put it short: Jesus was [made] a little lower than Eloheem! ("made" is not the part of the original text.)
The fact that Jesus was not an angel is very clearly stated in the first two chapters of the epistle to Hebrews. There are a few rhetorical questions here:
Heb 1:5 For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?
Heb 1:13 But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?
Obviously God has not told any of the angels "You are my son" or "Sit on my right side". None of the angels are told so, that includes Michael.
The distinction between angels and the Son of God is further clarified by the following verses:
Heb 1:8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
Heb 1:9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
Heb 1:10 And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:
The son is called as God, Lord and the creator of earth and heavens - can we say that an angel, even if he is an archangel, is the creator heaven and earth?
Heb 1:7 And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.
Heb 1:14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?
Angels are to assist the Christian saints who have to inherit salvation!
This is the greatest logical fallacy that I have ever heard.
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Those who claim that Jesus = Michael, say that Jesus (whom they say is Michael) will come down with a shout and the trumpet of God...
Wait! If the voice is coming out of the mouth of Jesus (whom they say is archangel Michael), where he will place the trumpet? If Jesus is coming back as a king, will Jesus blow his own trumpet? Is it not people and servants that shout in front of a king's procession?
"Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet"? Psa 110:1, Luk 20:43, Act 2:35, Heb 1:13.
Having said that, will he go out to wage war? Frankly, if you still believe that Michael of Revelation 12 is Jesus, you will believe anything.
The Psalms 8:5 confusion!
Those who read the Bible in various translations might have noticed that this verse is translated variously:
KJV: For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
ASV: For thou hast made him but little lower than God, And crownest him with glory and honor.
ESV: Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. NIV: You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor.
Since various versions have rendered the object of the sentence as him and them, let us examine as to who the real object of this scripture is. Fortunately, the subject is uniformly translated in most of the versions (minus NIV) and we read thus in the the preceding verse - Psalms 8:4:
KJV: What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
ESV: what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?
NIV: what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?
ASV: What is man, that thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that thou visitest him?
Barring a few occurrences, the expression "son of man" always used to address Ezekiel (93 times), Daniel (once) or Jesus (90 times).
Since Apostle Paul quotes Psalms 8:5 in Heb 2:6, we know that the reference is to Jesus who addressed himself as Son of Man!
Little lower than God or Angels: Hebrews 2:7?
KJV: Thou madest him a little lower than the angels...
ESV: You made him for a little while lower than the angels...
NIV: You made them a little lower than the angels...
ASV: Thou madest him a little lower than the angels...
Since Apostle Paul says angels many assume that it is angels and not God. But we have to remember that Apostle Paul and his contemporaries used the Greek Septuagint of Old Testament. (I am not getting into the merits or demerits of Septuagint, here).
In the Septuagint translation of Psalms 8:5 the critical word is rendered as ἀγγέλους (ang'-el-os G32 in Strongs Lexicon).
But we know that Old Testament was written in Hebrew and the Hebrew word used here is Eloheem, #430 in Strong's lexicon. And Eloheem is always God (though it is few times mistranslated otherwise in KJV, there are no meanings as great, judges or mighty).
To put it short: Jesus was [made] a little lower than Eloheem! ("made" is not the part of the original text.)
Difference between Son of God and Angels
The fact that Jesus was not an angel is very clearly stated in the first two chapters of the epistle to Hebrews. There are a few rhetorical questions here:
Heb 1:5 For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?
Heb 1:13 But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?
Obviously God has not told any of the angels "You are my son" or "Sit on my right side". None of the angels are told so, that includes Michael.
The distinction between angels and the Son of God is further clarified by the following verses:
Heb 1:8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
Heb 1:9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
Heb 1:10 And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:
The son is called as God, Lord and the creator of earth and heavens - can we say that an angel, even if he is an archangel, is the creator heaven and earth?
The real status of the angels.
Heb 1:7 And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.
Heb 1:14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?
Angels are to assist the Christian saints who have to inherit salvation!
With the voice of the archangel!
This is the greatest logical fallacy that I have ever heard.
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Those who claim that Jesus = Michael, say that Jesus (whom they say is Michael) will come down with a shout and the trumpet of God...
Wait! If the voice is coming out of the mouth of Jesus (whom they say is archangel Michael), where he will place the trumpet? If Jesus is coming back as a king, will Jesus blow his own trumpet? Is it not people and servants that shout in front of a king's procession?
Who Was Man-In-Linen?
This story won't be complete unless I tell you who the Man-In-Linen is. For a child of God the following descriptions are sufficient to understand that Man-In-Linen of Daniel is Jesus of Revelation. Sceptics may be quick to point out that every points do not match, and I am not writing for them.
| Feature | Daniel | Revelation | ||
| Clothe | linen | Dan 10:5 | garment down to the foot | Rev 1:13 |
| Girdle | Gold of Uphaz | Dan 10:5 | Golden | Rev 1:13 |
| Head & Hairs | White like wool. | Rev 1:14 | ||
| Body | Beryl | Dan 10:6 | ||
| Face | Lightning | Dan 10:6 | ||
| Eyes | Lamps of Fire | Dan 10:6 | Flames of Fire | Rev 1:14 |
| Arms | Brass | Dan 10:6 | ||
| Feet | Brass | Dan 10:6 | Brass | Rev 1:15 |
| Voice | Voice of a Multitude | Dan 10:6 | Voice of many waters | Rev 1:15 |
I have presented to you what is revealed to me in my studies, by the Holy Spirit. I have placed it before you without fear or favour. It is my humble desire that none shall end in an error which can cost their eternal life.
If Jesus is in fact Archangel Michael, even apostles who worshipped the resurrected Jesus may even lose their eternal life! (Mat 28:9,17; Mark 15:19; Luke 24:52)
In Christ,
Tomsan
Mr. Tomsan,
ReplyDeleteDan 8:16; 9:21 proves that the upcoming verse Dan 10:12,13 is said by Gabriel itself not Micheal...
@Pravin, thank you for commenting.
ReplyDeleteOne thing is clear, Michael won't tell Michael came to my help.
The issue with the view that it is Gabriel is that the description more or less matches that of Our Lord in Rev 1:13-15.
Appreciate the great work!
ReplyDeleteI think I am ignorant to comment on this matter now. Will try to learn and come back..
All the best for your effort in searching the TRUTH!