By COGwriter
Angels are invisible, immortal spirit beings with superior power and knowledge (cf. Hebrews 1:14, 2 Peter 2:11).
Angels have seen all the activities of man on earth, and therefore know far more about the human mind, psychology, sociology, science and all the arts than any human living. And the Bible says that God has put them here with us as ministering spirits, to serve us!
14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? (Hebrews 1:14).
The top angels are considered to be archangels.
Is/was Jesus the archangel Michael?
Some have thought so.
The Jehovah's Witnesses (JWs) teach that:
Michael is a name given to Jesus in his role as a heavenly Ruler (Pay Attention. p. 289).
Here is more about what the JWs teach about Michael:
The foremost angel, both in power and authority, is the archangel, Jesus Christ, also called Michael. (1 Thessalonians 4:16; Jude 9) Under his authority are seraphs, cherubs, and angels. (The Truth About Angels. Jehovah's Witnesses Official Web Site. Appeared in The Watchtower November 1, 1995. http://www.watchtower.org/library/w/1995/11/1/article_02.htm 07/09/07)
Do the scriptures actually state that?
Notice what the New World Translation Bible that the Jehovah's Witnesses shows for
16 because the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a commanding call, with an archangel’s voice and with God’s trumpet, and those who are dead in union with Christ will rise first. (1 Thessalonians 4:16, NWT)
So, that shows that Jesus' return will be various sounds, not that Jesus is Michael.
And notice:
9 But when Miʹchael the archangel had a difference with the Devil and was disputing about Moses’ body, he did not dare to bring a judgment against him in abusive terms, but said: “May Jehovah* rebuke you.” (Jude 9, NWT)
Note: The term Jehovah is NOT in the Greek (which is why the JW's have an asterisk (*)--which then says Jehovah was NOT in the Greek. In the inspired text, it is the Greek term 'kurios' which means superior. Jesus is superior to Micheal.
Furthermore, Jesus would more than dare bring judgment against the devil, the Bible shows that He has as Jesus stated:
11 ... the ruler of this world has been judged. (John 16:11, NWT)
Notice also:
10 Then Jesus said to him: “Go away, Satan! For it is written: ‘It is Jehovah* your God you must worship, and it is to him alone you must render sacred service.’” 11 Then the Devil left him, and look! angels came and began to minister to him. (Matthew 4:10-11, NTW)
Unlike Michael who dared not bring an accusation, Jesus gave an order to Satan, and then notice that the angels ministered to Jesus. Jesus was not an angel.
Furthermore, the JW's teach:
Michael [another name for Jesus] and his angels battled with the dragon ... Revelation 12 (What Does the Bible Really Teach? Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, Brooklyn, 2005, p. 89).
Let's look at Revelation 12:
3 Another sign was seen in heaven. Look! A great fiery-colored dragon, with seven heads and ten horns and on its heads seven diadems; 4 and its tail drags a third of the stars of heaven, and it hurled them down to the earth. And the dragon kept standing before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she did give birth, it might devour her child. 5 And she gave birth to a son, a male, who is to shepherd all the nations with an iron rod. And her child was snatched away to God and to his throne. (Revelation 12:3-6, NWT)
That is clearly a reference to Jesus. And from His birth to His ascension to heaven in Acts 1, He was called Jesus and/or the Christ.
Now, let's go further in Revelation 12:
7 And war broke out in heaven: Miʹcha·el and his angels battled with the dragon, and the dragon and its angels battled 8 but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them any longer in heaven. 9 So down the great dragon was hurled, the original serpent, the one called Devil and Satan, who is misleading the entire inhabited earth; he was hurled down to the earth, and his angels were hurled down with him.
10 I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come to pass the salvation and the power and the Kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ, because the accuser of our brothers has been hurled down, who accuses them day and night before our God! (Revelation 12:7-10, NWT)
That is a prophecy. The Bible is not switching from using Jesus to Michael. Michael is not the Christ!
The Jehovah's Witnesses do not believe that Jesus is God, but the CCOG does.
Here is one "proof" from the Jehovah's Witnesses that they use to support their unitarian view of the Godhead:
John said that he had written his Gospel so that readers might come to believe that “Jesus is the Christ the Son of God”—not that he was God. (John 20:31) (WHO IS“the Only True God”? Awake! April 22, 2005).
Having read various writings from official Jehovah's Witnesses sources, I have concluded that the Jehovah's Witnesses's correctly understand that the Father and Son are separate persons, but that they do not teach that Jesus is God or part of the Godhead.
Notice the following from one of their official websites:
Rather than proclaim himself to be God’s Son, Jesus allowed others to reach that conclusion...
Yet, some argue that Jesus is not simply the Son of God but that he is actually God himself. They say that he and his Father are both Almighty God. Are they correct? Is Jesus somehow part of God? Is that what Jesus, or any of the Bible writers, said? Really, who is the only true God? Who did Jesus say He is?...
(Acts 17:24, 31) Here the apostle Paul described Jesus as “a man”—yes, lesser than God—whom God had restored to life in heaven. The apostle John too described Jesus as subordinate to God. John said that he had written his Gospel so that readers might come to believe that “Jesus is the Christ the Son of God”—not that he was God. (John 20:31) (Is Jesus Christ God? http://www.watchtower.org/e/20050422/article_01.htm 070707).
Their belief that Jesus is not God seems to be tied to a couple of verses in John 17 which they mention and explain as follows:
In prayer with his apostles—only hours before his death—Jesus petitioned: “Father, the hour has come; glorify your son, that your son may glorify you. This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ.”—John 17:1, 3.
Notice that Jesus prays to One whom he calls “the only true God.” He points to God’s superior position when he continues: “So now you, Father, glorify me alongside yourself with the glory that I had alongside you before the world was.” (John 17:5) Since Jesus prayed to God requesting to be alongside God, how could Jesus at the same time be “the only true God”? (WHO IS “the Only True God”? Awake! April 22, 2005).
This, however, at most may suggest that Jesus was not fully God while on earth, which He was not. The Bible teaches that Jesus emptied Himself of His divinity while on earth (see Philippians 2:7), hence He had to have been divine before coming on earth (this is discussed in more detail in the article on binitarianism), and would be again after His resurrection. The above in no way is proof of unitarianism.
Some years ao, I did receive an email from a JW that stated:
We believe Isaiah 9:6 that talks about Jesus being "Mighty God" we understand him to be a replica of his father, so not the original God Almighty but a copy of him, so not "The God Almighty", we believe him to be the "image of the invisible God" Col 1:15 2 Cor4:4 Also Jn1:1 "the word was God" even though our translation says "a god' as in obedient or submisive to his father (1 Cor 11:3) whom he worships (Jn20:17) (Email to COGwriter, April 10, 2011).
The implication of the above seems to be that at least one JW believes that Jesus was a created being and a lower type of god.
Notice what the JW's New World Translation of the Bible teaches:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god. (John 1:1, NEW WORLD TRANSLATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES, 2013 REVISION)
In [the] beginning the Word was, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god. (John 1:1, NEW WORLD TRANSLATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES, 1984 EDITION)
The Jehovah's Witnesses should thus consider that Jesus is God. Instead, they falsely teach He was a type of angel.
A former Seventh-day Adventist told me that Ellen White held that view and that he found it blasphemous. When I asked him for citations, he sent the following that Ellen White taught:
Patriarchs and Prophets page 761—Again: Christ is called the Word of God. John 1:1-3. He is so called because God gave His revelations to man in all ages through Christ. It was His Spirit that inspired the prophets. 1 Peter 1:10, 11. He was revealed to them as the Angel of Jehovah, the Captain of the Lord’s host, Michael the Archangel.
Prophets and Kings page 572—For three weeks Gabriel wrestled with the powers of darkness, seeking to counteract the influences at work on the mind of Cyrus; and before the contest closed, Christ Himself came to Gabriel's aid. "The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days," Gabriel declares; "but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia." Daniel 10:13.
Early Writings page 164—Moses passed through death, but Michael came down and gave him life before his body had seen corruption. Satan tried to hold the body, claiming it as his; but Michael resurrected Moses and took him to heaven. Satan railed bitterly against God, denouncing Him as unjust in permitting his prey to be taken from him; but Christ did not rebuke His adversary, though it was through his temptation that the servant of God had fallen. He meekly referred him to His Father, saying, “The Lord rebuke thee.”
The Story of Redemption page 206—Moses passed through death, but Michael came down and gave him life before his body had seen corruption. Satan tried to hold the body, claiming it as his; but Michael resurrected Moses and took him to heaven. Satan railed bitterly against God, denouncing Him as unjust in permitting his prey to be taken from him; but Christ did not rebuke His adversary, though it was through his temptation that the servant of God had fallen. He meekly referred him to His Father, saying, “The Lord rebuke thee.”
19 Manuscript release 106.2—Jude presents the example of Christ. He says, “Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil He disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee” (As cited in an Email to COGwriter@aol.com 11/06/16)
Those in the Continuing Church of God (CCOG) believe that Michael is simply an archangel, not divine. Nowhere does the Bible teach that Jesus was once Michael.
Here are other SDA statements, the first from Ellen G. White:
“Christ is called the Word of God. John 1:1-3. He is so called because God gave His revelations to man in all ages through Christ. It was His Spirit that inspired the prophets. 1 Peter 1:10, 11. He was revealed to them as the Angel of Jehovah, the Captain of the Lord’s host, Michael the Archangel.” (White EG. The Great Controversy Between Christ and Satan as Illustrated in the Lives of Patriarchs and Prophets. 1890, page 760)
“Michael [another name for Jesus] and his angels fought against the dragon [Satan], and the dragon and his angels fought back” (Revelation 12:7). (Signs of the Times magazine, May, 2010. Also at www.adventist.org 05/01/20 as: A Lesson from History; July 2, 2013)
Someone told me that a Seventh-Day Adventist pointed to Genesis 31:11-13 as proof Jesus was Michael.
This is how it is translated in the NKJV:
11 Then the Angel of God spoke to me in a dream, saying, 'Jacob.' And I said, 'Here I am.' 12 And He said, 'Lift your eyes now and see, all the rams which leap on the flocks are streaked, speckled, and gray-spotted; for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you. 13 I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar and where you made a vow to Me. Now arise, get out of this land, and return to the land of your family.'" (Genesis 31:11-13)
However, if you look up the Hebrew word mal'ak (Strong's word 4397) which is improperly translated as "angel" above, you find that "angel" is not the only way it could be translated, nor should it be in many places:
OT:4397 ... mal'ak (mal-awk'); from an unused root meaning to despatch as a deputy; a messenger; specifically, of God, i.e. an angel (also a prophet, priest or teacher):
(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006, 2010 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
To prove it cannot mean ANGEL everytime, notice the following scriptures in the next chapter:
3 Then Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother in the land of Seir, the country of Edom. 4 And he commanded them, saying, "Speak thus to my lord Esau, 'Thus your servant Jacob says: "I have dwelt with Laban and stayed there until now. 5 I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, and male and female servants; and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find favor in your sight."'"
6 Then the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, "We came to your brother Esau, and he also is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him." 7 So Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed; and he divided the people that were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two companies. 8 And he said, "If Esau comes to the one company and attacks it, then the other company which is left will escape." (Genesis 32:3-8, NKJV)
The term translated as "messengers" is from the Hebrew word mal'ak (Strong's word 4397).
And actually, messenger is how Young's Literal Translation renders it in Genesis 31:
11 and the messenger of God saith unto me in the dream, Jacob, and I say, Here [am] I. (Genesis 31"11, YLT)
So, no, Genesis 31:11 is not proof that Jesus was the archangel Michael. And, of course, Genesis 31:11-13 never uses the word Michael either.
More on the SDAs can be found in the article: SDA/CCOG Differences: Two Horned Beast of Revelation and 666.
More on them and Protestants can be found in the free online book: Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God differs from Protestantism.
But what about Michael the archangel possibly being Jesus?
Well, the Bible is clear that Jesus was not an angel and that God did not exalt any angel like Jesus was exalted.
Notice what the Book of Hebrews teaches:
1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; 3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
5 For to which of the angels did He ever say:
"You are My Son,Today I have begotten You"?
And again:
"I will be to Him a Father, And He shall be to Me a Son"?
6 But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says:
"Let all the angels of God worship Him."
7 And of the angels He says:
"Who makes His angels spirits And His ministers a flame of fire."
8 But to the Son He says:
"Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. 9 You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions."
10 And:
"You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands. 11 They will perish, but You remain; And they will all grow old like a garment; 12 Like a cloak You will fold them up, And they will be changed. But You are the same, And Your years will not fail."
13 But to which of the angels has He ever said:
"Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool"?
14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation? (Hebrews 1:1-14)
Angels, including archangels are ministering spirits.
In 1960, the old Radio Church of God also addressed this issue:
Dear Friend:
People quite often ask, "Is Michael, who was called 'your prince' in Daniel 10:21, the person who later became Christ?"
There is a church which contends that Michael, who was called "your prince," was Christ. Is this assumption true?
Christ certainly was, and is, a Prince (Dan. 9:25) But this scripture does not make Him a prince who was named "Michael."
The angelic being who gave Daniel the vision recorded in chapter 10 told Daniel, "... 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..." (verse 13). Notice that there was a prince of Persia. That prince is another spirit being of equal rank to Michael.
Notice, also, in this verse that Michael is called "ONE OF the chief princes." This clearly indicates that among the spirit beings there is more than one "chief prince" — more than one of first rank! The combined power of Prince Michael and the prince who delivered the vision to Daniel (Gabriel) was enough that they were able to subdue the Prince of Persia, an evil, rebellious spirit prince.
But Christ is far superior to any of these created spirit princes. There are no other princes of equal rank to Christ. But there are others of Michael's rank! Christ is not Michael. Michael is "your prince" — the spirit set to serve Israel. Michael and the other princes over the nations are all subject to Christ who is Supreme Ruler under the Father!
The chief princes among God's created spirit beings have great power and authority over the nations. But what is the limit of their authority? How far does their authority and power extend? In Jude 8 and 9 we read: "These filthy dreamers (evil men)... despise dominion (authority), and speak evil of dignities (those who are given authority). Yet Michael the archangel (a chief prince), when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, 'The Lord (Christ — who is Michael's superior) rebuke thee.'"
Notice this scripture! Evil men have no respect for those in authority, but Michael, who is an archangel, showed respect to the office of authority of Satan the Devil. By this scripture we can see very clearly that Michael does not have greater rank than Satan.
But Christ does have greater rank. If Michael did have greater rank, he would have given the Devil a command — he could have done the rebuking himself, instead of saying, "The Lord rebuke thee."
Turn to Matthew 4:10. Here we find Christ said to Satan: "Get thee hence, Satan. "Christ gave Satan a sharp command. Christ was of greater rank and authority. Christ was in authority over Satan because He created him. Christ is the One through whom the Father created all things (Col. 1:15-16; John 1:3); Lucifer, who became Satan, was but a created being (Ezek. 28:14-15).
Christ has been in authority over Satan since he was created as Lucifer. But Michael was not in authority over him and could not give him a command: he could only pass on a rebuke — a command — from the Lord, Christ (Jude 9).
It is absolutely proven that Michael could not have been Christ! Michael is, instead, an angelic being who is put in authority over other lesser angelic beings in God's government. He was one of the leaders among God's faithful angels. But he dared not usurp authority and command Satan, who is an unfaithful, fallen cherub.
LETTER ANSWERING DEPARTMENT
Letter Number: 956
The Archangel Michael is not Jesus nor part of the Godhead.
Michael was just ONE of the chief princes:
13 ... Michael, one of the chief princes ... (Daniel 10:13)
Thus, there are others of essentially the same rank. Notice also a translation from the Jehovah's Witnesses:
13 ... Miʹcha·el, one of the foremost princes ... (Daniel 10:13, NWT)
So, Michael was not unique, but just one of the foremost princes.
Unlike angels, Jesus always existed:
57 Then the Jews said to Him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?"
58 Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM." (John 8:57-58)
In Hebrew, the I AM is part of the name of the Eternal. Jesus is eternal, angels are not.
Consider that the term 'archangel' is used twice in the NKJV. The first time is 1 Thessalonians 4:16.
In Greek the definite article, 'the' in English, is often used and was not used above.
1 Thessalonians 4:16 demonstrates that there are more than one archangel, and that Jesus will come down with the sound of an archangel--not His own voice.
The second time Michael is referred to as an archangel is in Jude 9. Not that he was the Christ.
The truth is that the writers of the New Testament did not say that Jesus was Michael.
Michael is shown as an archangel and the scriptures DO NOT say he is Jesus.
Angels were created beings and Jesus always existed.
The JWs and SDAs are wrong with their contentions on these matters.
Believe the word of God.
Here is a link to a related video: Is Jesus the Archangel Michael?
More information on the Godhead can be found in the following articles:
Binitarian View: One God, Two Beings Before the Beginning Is binitarianism the correct position? What about unitarianism or trinitarianism?
Is The Father God? What is the view of the Bible? What was the view of the early church?
Jesus: The Son of God and Saviour Who was Jesus? Why did He come to earth? What message did He bring? Is there evidence outside the Bible that He existed? Here is a YouTube sermon titled Jesus: Son of God and Saviour.
Jesus is God, But Became Flesh Was Jesus fully human and fully God or what? Here is information in the Spanish language¿Es Jesucristo Dios?.
Virgin Birth: Does the Bible Teach It? What does the Bible teach? What is claimed in The Da Vinci Code?
Why Does Jesus Have Two Different Genealogies listed in Matthew 1 and Luke 3? Matthew 1:1-16 and Luke 3:23-38 seemingly list two different genealogies for Jesus. Why?
Did Early Christians Think the Holy Spirit Was A Separate Person in a Trinity? Or did they have a different view?
What is the Holy Spirit? This is an article by Rod Reynolds.
Did the True Church Ever Teach a Trinity? Most act like this is so, but is it? Here is an old, by somewhat related, article in the Spanish language LA DOCTRINA DE LA TRINIDAD.
Was Unitarianism the Teaching of the Bible or Early Church? Many, including Jehovah's Witnesses, claim it was, but was it?
Binitarianism: One God, Two Beings Before the Beginning This is a longer article than the Binitarian View article, and has a little more information on binitarianism, and less about unitarianism. A related sermon is also available: Binitarian view of the Godhead.
Information related to the Archangel Michael can be found in the following links:
What is Restrained and Who is Restraining in 2 Thessalonians 2:7? Are sorceries being restrained until the future? What is the mystery of lawlessness? Here is a related article in Spanish: ¿Qué es lo que se restringe y quién lo está restringiendo en 2 Tesalonicenses 2:7?
Angels, Cherubim, and Seraphim This is information about various types of angelic beings.
More information on groups who teach that Michael is Jesus can be found in the following:
Similarities and Differences Between the Jehovah's Witnesses and the Continuing Church of God Both groups claim to represent the original Christian faith. Do you know much about them? Both groups have some interesting similarities, but many major differences. Would you like information on how to deal with Jehovah's Witnesses? A related sermon is also available: Jehovah's Witnesses: Right and Wrong Teachings?
SDA/CCOG Differences: Two Horned Beast of Revelation and 666 The genuine Church of God is NOT part of the Seventh-day Adventists. This article explains two prophetic differences, the trinity, differences in approaching doctrine, including Ellen White. Did Ellen White make prophetic errors? Did Ellen White make false prophecies? Here is a version in the Spanish language: SDA/COG Diferencias: La bestia de dos cuernos de Apocalipsis y 666. Here is a sermon in the English language: CCOG and SDA differences and similarities.
Thiel B. Did the Archangel Michael become Jesus? http://www.cogwriter.com/micheal-jesus.htm 2015/2016/2019/2020 0524