Michael

Michael is among the most famous angels and most people know him as the archangel and as a soldier and commander who fights the devil. What texts are the sources for this information?

## Texts

Enoch 1

Enoch 1 Ch. 9, 10, 20, 24

https://www.ccel.org/c/charles/otpseudepig/enoch/ENOCH\_1.HTM

### Daniel

Dates

Should I give addresses and explain what it says or record the verses here? Should I record only the specific verses or the entire contexts- at least the immediate context.

Daniel 10;13 NIV

"But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia."

Daniel 10:21 NIV

"but first I will tell you what is written in the Book of Truth. (No one supports me against them except Michael, your prince." 11 1 And in the first year of Darius the Mede, I took my stand to support and protect him.)

Daniel 12:1 NIV

"“At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered."

Michael is one of the chief princes and went to help the man in linen when he was detained by the prince of Persia.

Michael is Daniel's prince (presumably Israel's prince). Michael and the man in linen are the only two fighting them.

Michael protects the people of Israel and will deliver the people of Israel- whose names are written in the book of life.

How to structure these sections.

First a brief explanation of the text as it relates to the specific character or subject being discussed? or should that come after simply reading the entire section? Followed by discussion of what the text is saying or not saying and how the text has been interpreted by different parties over the years. Should my reading be here or simply a summary of what it says. Or should it only be what different groups have said and the sources for the group doing the saying.

### Jude

Dates

Michael argues with the devil over the body of Moses.

The author is speaking about how some people are speaking irreverently about things they don't know about- and as an example of how people should behave- Jude explains that even the Archangel Michael does not accuse the devil of slander. How much more so should we who know so much less and have so much less authority than an archangel be careful not to decry things about which we know so little.

8 In the very same way, on the strength of their dreams these ungodly people pollute their own bodies, reject authority and heap abuse on celestial beings. 9 But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not himself dare to condemn him for slander but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”[d] 10 Yet these people slander whatever they do not understand, and the very things they do understand by instinct—as irrational animals do—will destroy them.

Jude 1:8-10 NIV

The episode that Jude is referencing is not part of the Catholic or Protestant canon. At one point I had heard that this story had been lost and we had no text to link to it. However I found a source claiming to have the text Jude is making reference to. I must find that source again. This story is supposed to be the devil claiming Moses' body cannot be buried in the promised land because he had sinned.

This passage is an example of Michael being called an archangel. This passage shows him in a conflict with the devil. Michael is concerned with Moses. Jude seems to be implying that Michael is humble or at least prudent in not accusing the devil instead asking God to do the correcting.

### Revelation

Dates

Michael and his angels wage war in heaven against the dragon and his angels.

"1 A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. 2 She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. 3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads. 4 Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born. 5 She gave birth to a son, a male child, who “will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.”[a] And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. 6 The woman fled into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.

7 Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8 But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. 9 The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:

“Now have come the salvation and the power

   and the kingdom of our God,

   and the authority of his Messiah.

For the accuser of our brothers and sisters,

   who accuses them before our God day and night,

    has been hurled down.""

Revelation 12:1-10 NIV

As in all cases- the larger context of each passage should be read. For efficiency- the entirety of each book cannot be placed on the entries but I wish to bring more here than just the verse in isolation.

This oft-quoted couple verses clearly states a war broke out in heaven between Michael and the dragon- each leading a group of angels and that the dragon's forces were not strong enough and that they were cast out of heaven. That is plain enough but the context of this event is in a vision of a woman fleeing the dragon. The timing of this war is debated. Is this a war that happened in the primordial past or is it to happen in the apocalyptic future or at any number of points in between? The Revelation of John is a hotly debated text and I will not endeavor to unpack it's expansive symbolism on this page. The Revelation page will have a more general discussion of the text as it relates to the topics of this wiki.

What we do see here regardless of symbolism is Michael in opposition to Satan (the Red Dragon is identified as Satan later in Revelation). Michael is fighting in a war and has angels that he is in charge of- or at least their are identified as Michael's angels.

It is interesting to note how this passage is normally used and what it is claimed to be saying and how that contrasts from what the passage actually is saying.

## Harmonized History

Michael was created along with the other angels some time before the earth was made. **Genesis 1:14**

Michael along with the other angels rejoiced as the earth was made. **Job 38:7**

Michael, with his angels fought in a heavenly war against Satan and Satan's angels and Michael and his angels defeated and drove Satan and his angels out of heaven and down to earth. **Revelation 12**

Michael along with the other archangels fought the watchers and bound them. **Enoch 1**

Michael is appointed as the Prince of Israel. **Deuteronomy 32:8**

Michael disputes with the devil over the body of Moses. **Jude 1**

Michael aids the man in linen when the man in linen was detained by the Prince of Persia. Michael and the man in linen stand alone in their opposition of the Prince of Persia and the Prince of Greece. **Daniel 10**

In the future Michael will arise and save those whose names are written in the book of life. **Daniel 12**

In the future Michael will defeat Satan. **Revelation 12**

## What is he like?

It occurred to me that I was doing a lot of western analysis. The numbers, the precision. If I have not been misled, eastern or at least middle eastern thought does not only prioritize the tangible attributes of a thing but also the intangible- the emotional- the poetic and artistic. While I do not claim that what follows is artistic- It is an expression of the impression Michael gives me. Probably will remove this in the future.

Michael is like a shield and shade. He is a fortress and a siege work. He is a kind and caring father. He is a friend. He is strong and gentle. He is the darkening and cool wind before a storm. The pent up power of sky and earth on a silent calm day. Michael smells like a campfire. He sounds like quiet thunder at a great distance- the breath of a sleeping lion.