Michael

Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament

(Heb. מִיכָאַל, ‘Who is like God?’)

In Daniel 10:21 Michael is described as the ‘prince,’ i.e. the patron or guardian angel of Israel, in antithesis to the ‘prince’ of Persia and the ‘prince’ of Greece (Daniel 10:20). In the account of the troublous times of the Last Days in Daniel 12:1, Michael, ‘the great prince,’ is Israel’s champion, by whom deliverance is wrought. These are the only references supplied by the OT, but they exercised a powerful influence upon the Jewish tradition that grew up regarding Michael (in which he further appears as one of the seven archangels and the chief of the four great archangels), and through this upon NT conceptions. In the NT he is twice mentioned by name (Judges 1:9, where he is described as ‘the archangel,’ and Revelation 12:7), and in both cases discharges functions that are in keeping with the position assigned him in Daniel. (1) In Judges 1:9 (cf. Deuteronomy 34:6), which is based on the apocryphal Assumption of Moses (see Orig. de Princip. III. ii. 1), he stands forward as the representative of Israel to dispute the Devil’s claim to possess the body of Moses, a claim made, according to the apocryphal book, on the two grounds that the Devil was the lord of matter and that Moses had been guilty of slaying the Egyptian (see Charles, Assumption of Moses , 1897, p. 105 ff.). (2) In Revelation 12:7 as in Daniel 12 Michael plays a leading part in the conflict that is to issue in the Messianic triumph of the Last Days. In accordance with the Jewish eschatological idea of a celestial battle which is to precede this triumph ( Sib. Orac. iii. 796 ff.), there is war in heaven, and Michael and his angels go forth to war with the great red dragon (otherwise described as ‘the old serpent, he that is called the Devil and Satan,’ Daniel 12:9) and his angels, with the result that the latter are overthrown and cast down to the earth. The significant thing here is the position assigned to Michael. It is by him, not by the ‘man child who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron’ (Daniel 12:5), that the dragon is overcome and cast out from heaven (cf. Bousset, Der Antichrist , 1895, p. 151 ff.).

There are two other passages in the NT where Michael, though not mentioned, appears to be referred to. (1) In Acts 7:38 he is probably to be identified with the angel who spoke to Moses in Mount Sinai. According to Galatians 3:19 the Law was ‘ordained by angels,’ and in Hebrews 2:2 ‘the word’ is described as ‘spoken by angels’ (cf. Jos. Ant. XV. v. 3). In Jub. i. 27, ii. 1, however, it is the angel of the presence who instructs Moses and delivers to him the tables of the Law, and in what was probably the original Assumption of Moses (preserved only in Greek fragments) ‘Michael the archangel’ is expressly said to have taught Moses at the giving of the Law. (2) In 1 Thessalonians 4:16 ‘the voice of the archangel and the trump of God’ suggests another reference to the Michael of Jewish tradition. This is the only place in the NT besides Judges 1:9 where the word ‘archangel’ occurs, and though the archangel in this case is not named, it is natural to suppose that the great archangel is meant. ‘The voice of the archangel’ and ‘the trump of God’ are evidently to be taken as parallel expressions (cf. Matthew 24:31, ‘He shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet’), and it is a common feature of the later Jewish tradition of the Day of Judgment that the trumpet is blown by Michael the archangel (see Bousset, op. cit. p. 166).

J. C. Lambert.

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

("who is like unto God?")

1. Numbers 13:13.

2. 1 Chronicles 5:13.

3. 1 Chronicles 5:14.

4. 1 Chronicles 6:40.

5. 1 Chronicles 7:3.

6. 1 Chronicles 8:16.

7. 1 Chronicles 12:20.

8. 1 Chronicles 27:18.

9. 2 Chronicles 21:2-4.

10. Ezra 8:8. The ARCHANGEL (Daniel 10:13; Daniel 10:21; Daniel 12:1; 2 Peter 2:11; Revelation 12:7). On the meaning compare Exodus 15:11; Psalms 89:6-8. Contrast "who is like unto the beast?" (Revelation 13:4.) Some think that Michael is the Son of God. Certainly the Angel of Jehovah, or Jehovah the Second Person, in pleading for Joshua the high priest representing the Jewish church, uses the same rebuke to Satan as Michael does in Judges 1:9; Zechariah 3:1-5. Michael will usher in the coming resurrection by standing up for God's people, as their unique champion (Daniel 12:1-2; Daniel 10:21), "your prince."

"Michael when contending with the devil about the body of Moses (which Jehovah buried, but which was probably translated shortly afterward, for 'no man knoweth of his sepulchre'; hence, he appeared in a body, as did Elijah, at the transfiguration; Satan, the accuser of the brethren, probably opposed his translation on the ground of his sins, but Michael contended with him and prevailed) durst not (from reverence to Satan's former dignity, Daniel 10:8) bring against him a railing accusation, but said The Lord rebuke thee." This language suits an archangel rather than the divine Son. But the connection of Michael with the Son of God in name and some functions is intimate. The angel in Daniel 10:13 says that Michael (apparently distinct from the divine Son described Daniel 10:5-6; Revelation 1:13-15) as patron of Israel before God "helped" him, while "he was detained with the (angel of the) kings of Persia."

Gesenius translates notartiy "I gained the ascendancy," namely, against the adverse angel of Persia, so as to influence the Persian kings to permit the Jews' return to Jerusalem. Daniel 10:21, "none holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince," means that Michael alone, with the angelic speaker, had the office of protecting Israel, the world powers were all against Israel. In the captivity, during the withholding of God's regular manifestations to Israel, those visions of angels come precisely when most needed. When the world powers seemed to have overwhelmed the kingdom of God so utterly, Israel needed to have her faith in God's promises of restoration reinvigorated by a glimpse into the background of history in the world of spirits, and to see there the mighty angelic champions who are on her side under the Son of God (2 Kings 6:17).

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

MICHAEL (‘Who is like God?’). 1. Father of the Asherite spy ( Numbers 13:18 ). 2. 3. Two Gadites ( 1 Chronicles 5:13 f.). 4. The eponym of a Levitical guild of singers ( 1 Chronicles 6:46 ). 5. Name of a family in Issachar ( 1 Chronicles 7:3; 1 Chronicles 27:18 ). 6. Eponym of a family of Benjamites ( 1 Chronicles 8:10 ). 7. A Manassite chief who joined David at Ziklag ( 1 Chronicles 12:20 ). 8. A son of king Jehoshaphat ( 2 Chronicles 21:2 ). 9. The father of Zebadiah ( Ezra 8:8 , 1Es 8:34 ). 10. The archangel. See next article.

MICHAEL (‘the archangel’). Although reference to angels and their visitations is common in the OT, especially during transition periods ( e.g . the period of the Judges and that of the Captivity are specially noticeable for angelic appearances), the name Michael is not found until the later period, when the angelic office was divided into two parts, which were assigned to individual angels. In the Rabbinical traditions Michael figures considerably. He is connected with many incidents in the history of Moses, especially his burial (cf. Deuteronomy 34:6 ), when he disputed with Satan, who claimed the body by reason of the murder of the Egyptian ( Exodus 2:12 ). In the OT he is alluded to several times in the Book of Daniel ( Daniel 10:13; Daniel 10:21; Daniel 12:1 ) as ‘one of the chief princes,’ ‘the prince,’ and ‘the prince which standeth for the people,’ and he is opposed to the prince-angels of Persia and of Greece. He is here regarded as the guardian of the Israelites in their opposition to polytheism and foreign innovations.

In the NT Michael is found fighting in heaven (Revelation 12:7 ) against the dragon, ‘him that is called the devil and Satan,’ and is typical of the warfare which is the special work of the Church on earth. In the passage in Jude ( Judges 1:9 ) a definite reference is made to the tradition already mentioned, ‘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’ (cf. Zechariah 3:1 for a similar incident).

T. A. Moxon.

Bridgeway Bible Dictionary

In all the biblical references to him, Michael the archangel is in conflict with the enemies of God’s people. When, in the time of Daniel, the Jews suffered a number of setbacks because of opposition from the ruling Persian authorities, Michael came to the Jews’ rescue. An evil spirit was behind the rulers of Persia and had prevented a messenger of God from reaching Daniel, but the good spirit Michael overpowered the evil spirit and freed the heavenly messenger (Daniel 10:12-14).

The messenger knew that later he would be opposed by an evil spirit working on behalf of Greece (the nation that would succeed Persia as the Jews’ ruler), but he was confident that Michael’s help would again bring him victory (Daniel 10:20-21). Opposition to the Jews would increase, but God’s people could always depend on Michael to fight for them (Daniel 12:1).

Among Jewish writings of the period between the Old and New Testaments, there are a number that mention Michael. One New Testament writer, Jude, refers to an incident from one of these books to illustrate a point in his message. Satan had claimed that Moses’ body belonged to him, but Michael again fought on behalf of the man of God (Judges 1:9).

Michael is mentioned also in the visions of the book of Revelation. The context concerns conflict in the spirit world, with Michael and his angels fighting on behalf of God’s people against the devil and his angels. The vision reassures the persecuted people of God that the final victory will be theirs (Revelation 12:7-9). (See also ANGELS.)

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Mi'chael. (who is like God?).

1. An Asherite, father of Sethur, one of the twelve spies. Numbers 13:13.

2. One of the Gadites, who settled in the land of Bashan. 1 Chronicles 5:13.

3. Another Gadite, ancestor of Abihail. 1 Chronicles 5:14.

4. A Gershionite Levite, ancestor of Asaph. 1 Chronicles 6:40.

5 . One of the five sons of Izrahiah, of the tribe of Issachar. 1 Chronicles 7:3.

6. A Benjamite, of the sons of Beriah. 1 Chronicles 8:16.

7. One of the captains of the "thousands" of Manasse, h who joined David at Ziklag. 1 Chronicles 12:20.

8. The father or ancestor of Omri, chief of the tribe of Issachar, in the reign of David. 1 Chronicles 27:18.

9. One of the sons of Jehoshaphat, who were murdered by their elder brother, Jehoram. 2 Chronicles 21:2; 2 Chronicles 21:4.

10 . The father or ancestor of Zebadiah, of the sons of Shephatiah. Ezra 8:8.

11. "One," or "the first, of the chief princes" or archangels, Daniel 10:21, as the "prince" of Israel, and in Daniel 12:1 as "the great prince which standeth" in time conflict "for the children of thy people."

Morrish Bible Dictionary

1. An Asherite, father of Sethur. Numbers 13:13 .

2. Son of Abihail, a Gadite. 1 Chronicles 5:13 .

3. Son of Jeshishai, a Gadite. 1 Chronicles 5:14 .

4. Son of Baaseiah, a Gershonite. 1 Chronicles 6:40 .

5. Son of Izrahiah, a descendant of Issachar. 1 Chronicles 7:3 .

6. Son of Beriah, a Benjamite. 1 Chronicles 8:16 .

7. A man of Manasseh, who joined David at Ziklag. 1 Chronicles 12:20 .

8. Father of Omri, a ruler of Issachar. 1 Chronicles 27:18 .

9. Son of Jehoshaphat, murdered by his brother Jehoram 2 Chronicles 21:2,4 .

10. Ancestor of some who returned from exile. Ezra 8:8

Holman Bible Dictionary

Numbers 13:132-31 Chronicles 5:13-1441 Chronicles 6:4051 Chronicles 7:31 Chronicles 27:1861 Chronicles 8:1671 Chronicles 12:2082 Chronicles 21:29Ezra 8:810Daniel 10:1310:21Daniel 12:1Revelation 12:7 Jude 1:9 The Assumption of Moses Angel

People's Dictionary of the Bible

Michael (mî'ka-el or mî'kel), who as God? 1. A chief angel, who is represented as the patron of the Hebrews before God. Daniel 12:1. In Judges 1:9 Michael is represented "as contending with Satan about the body of Moses." So again in Revelation 12:5; Revelation 12:7; Revelation 12:9, the symbolic scenery which represents the malignity of Satan towards the "man-child "= Christianity—the child of Judaism, caught up to the throne of God, i.e., placed under the divine protection, and invested with sovereign power—Michael and his angels are represented as waging war with Satan and his angels in the upper regions; from which the latter ate cast down upon the earth. There are ten persons of this name mentioned in the Bible.

Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary

The name is a compound of Mi, who—Co, the same—and El, God—so that Michael means, one with God. We meet with this name only five times in Scripture: thrice in Daniel 10:13; Dan 10:21; Dan 12:1, once in Jude 1:1:9, and once in Revelation 12:7. I beg the reader to look to each of those passages; and when the several portions where this person is spoken of are fully considered, I leave it to the reader's own determination, hoping God the Spirit will be his teacher, who it is that is meant by Michael. See Archangel.—Malachi.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

One of the sons of king Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 21:2,4 ). He was murdered by his brother Jehoram.

Copyright StatementThese dictionary topics are from M.G. Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, published by Thomas Nelson, 1897. Public Domain.

Bibliography InformationEaston, Matthew George. Entry for 'Michael'. Easton's Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/ebd/m/michael.html. 1897.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

See Archangel .

Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary

See ARCHANGEL .

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

mı̄´kā́ - el , mı̄´kel ( מיכאל , mı̄khā'ēl , "who is like God?" Μιχαήλ , Michaḗl ):

(1) The father of Sethur the Asherite spy (Numbers 13:13 ).

(2) (3) Two Gadites (1 Chronicles 5:13 , 1 Chronicles 5:14 ).

(4) A name in the genealogy of Asaph (1 Chronicles 6:40 (Hebrew 25)).

(5) A son of Izrahiah of Issachar (1 Chronicles 7:3 ).

(6) A B enjamite (1 Chronicles 8:16 ).

(7) A M anassite who ceded to David at Ziklag (1 Chronicles 12:20 ).

(8) The father of Omri of Issachar (1 Chronicles 27:18 ).

(9) A son of King Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 21:2 ).

(10) The father of Zebediah, an exile who returned with Ezra (Ezra 8:8 parallel 1 Esdras 8:34).

(11) "The archangel" (Judges 1:9 ). Probably also the unnamed archangel of 1 Thessalonians 4:16 is Michael. In the Old Testament he is mentioned by name only in Daniel. He is "one of the chief princes" ( Daniel 10:13 ), the "prince" of Israel (Daniel 10:21 ), "the great prince" (Daniel 12:1 ); perhaps also "the prince of the host" (Daniel 8:11 ). In all these passages Michael appears as the heavenly patron and champion of Israel; as the watchful guardian of the people of God against all foes earthly or devilish. In the uncanonical apocalyptic writings, however, Jewish angelology is further developed. In them Michael frequently appears and excretes functions similar to those which are ascribed to him in Daniel. He is the first of the "four presences that stand before God" - M ichael, Gabriel, Raphael and Uriel or Phanuel (En Daniel 9:1; 40:9). In other apocryphal books and even elsewhere in En, the number of archangels is given as 7 (En 20:1-7; Tobit 12:15; compare also Revelation 8:2 ). Among the many characterizations of Michael the following may be noted: He is "the merciful and long-suffering" (En 40:9; 68:2, 3), "the mediator and intercessor" (Ascension of Isaiah, Latin version 9:23; Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs, Levi 5; Dan 6). It is he who opposed the Devil in a dispute concerning Moses' body (Judges 1:9 ). This passage, according to most modern authorities, is derived from the apocryphal Assumption of Moses (see Charles' edition, 105-10). It is Michael also who leads the angelic armies in the war in heaven against "the old serpent, he that is called the Devil and Satan" (Revelation 12:7 ff). According to Charles, the supplanting of the "child" by the archangel is an indication of the Jewish origin of this part of the book.

The earlier Protestant scholars usually identified Michael with the preincarnate Christ, finding support for their view, not only in the juxtaposition of the "child" and the archangel in Revelation 12 , but also in the attributes ascribed to him in Daniel (for a full discussion see Hengstenberg, Offenbarung , I, 611-22, and an interesting survey in English by Dr. Douglas in Fairbairn's Bd ).

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

Mi´chael (who as God?), the name given to one of the chief angels, who, in , is described as having special charge of the Israelites as a nation; and in , as disputing with Satan about the body of Moses, in which dispute, instead of bringing against the arch-enemy any railing accusation, he only said, 'The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan!' Again, in , Michael and his angels are represented as warring with Satan and his angels in the upper regions, from which the latter are cast down upon the earth. This is all the reference to Michael which we find in the Bible.

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

Bibliography InformationMcClintock, John. Strong, James. Entry for 'Michael'. Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/tce/m/michael.html. Harper & Brothers. New York. 1870.

The Nuttall Encyclopedia

An archangel, the leader of the heavenly host, at never-ending war with the devil and his angels in their arrogance of claim; is represented in art as clad in armour, with a sword in one hand and a pair of scales in the other to weigh the souls of men at the judgment. Festival, September 20.