MICHAEL: ONE AMONG SEVERAL RULERS

The New Testament explicitly identifies Michael as an archangel:

“Yet in the same way these men, also by dreaming, defile the flesh, and reject authority, and blaspheme glorious ones. But Michael the archangel, when he, disputing with the devil, was arguing about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a blasphemous judgment, but said, ‘The Lord rebuke you!’ But these men blaspheme the things which they do not understand; and the things which they know by instinct, like unreasoning animals, by these things they are destroyed.” Jude 1:8-10

Since he is the only archangel mentioned by name some have ventured to argue that he must be the same archangel whom Paul alludes to in his letter to the Thessalonians:

“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16

The problem with this assertion is that this erroneously assumes that since Michael alone is mentioned by name in the NT writings the blessed Apostle must therefore be referring to him. However, this is an erroneous conclusion since it is nothing more than an argument from silence. I.e., just because the NT documents only mention one archangel by name doesn’t mean no other archangels exist.

In fact, the evidence from both the Old and New Testaments, as well as Jewish sources written during the second temple period, indicates that Michael is one of several archangels.

For instance, Jude is paralleled by 2 Peter 2 since both letters touch upon the same theme to such an extent that some scholars even argue that one is dependent upon the other.

Here’s the parallel from 2 Peter 2 to Jude’s statements regarding Michael not daring to go up against the devil without invoking the authority of the Lord, something that the false teachers had no hesitation doing:  

 “then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trial, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment, and especially those who go after the flesh in its corrupt lust and despise authority. Daring, self-willed, they do not tremble when they blaspheme glorious ones, whereas angels who are greater in strength and power do not bring a reviling judgment against them before the Lord.” 2 Peter 2:9-11

Peter mentions angels in general who would not dare do what these blasphemers fearlessly and arrogantly do against glorious and fearful spiritual beings. This indicates that Michael is just one among the ruling angels, and not the only chief or archangel whom God created and appointed.

The book of Daniel makes this point explicitly when it describes Michael as ONE OF the chief princes, not the only chief ruler:

“But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was standing against me for twenty-one days; then behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me. Now I had been left there with the kings of Persia.” Daniel 10:13

Note the various renderings of this text:

“… Then Michael, one of the archangels, came to help me…” New Living Translation (NLT)

“… But then Michael, one of the highest leaders, came to help me…” Complete English Bible (CEB)

“… Then Michael, who is one of the strongest guardian angels, came to rescue me from the kings of Persia.” Contemporary English Version (CEV)

“… Then Michael, one of the most important princes, came to help me because I was stuck there with the king of Persia.” Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

“… Then Michael came to help me. He is one of God’s most important angels.” EasyEnglish Bible (EASY)

“… Then Michael, one of the most important ·angels [L princes], came to help me…” Expanded Bible (EXB)

“… But then Michael, one of the chief commanders, came to help me…” GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

“… Then Michael, one of the top officers of the heavenly army, came to help me…” Living Bible (TLB)

“… But Michael, one of the leading princes, came to help me…” New English Translation (NET)

Jude itself provides further corroboration that there are other ruling angels besides Michael since it quotes from the pseudepigraphal writing known as Enoch:

“But Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, also prophesied about these men, saying, ‘Behold, the Lord came with many thousands of His holy ones, to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.’” Jude 1:14-15

The citation is taken from 1 Enoch 1:9, which shows that both Jude and his audience were familiar with the contents of this book. As such, they would have known that Enoch lists seven ruling angels by name, one of whom of course happens to be Michael:

“And then Michael, Uriel, Raphael, and Gabriel looked down from heaven and saw much blood being shed upon the earth, and all lawlessness being wrought upon the earth. And they said one to another: ‘The earth made without inhabitant cries the voice of their cryingst up to the gates of heaven. And now to you, the holy ones of heaven, the souls of men make their suit, saying, “Bring our cause before the Most High.”’ And they said to the Lord of the ages: ‘Lord of lords, God of gods, King of kings, and God of the ages, the throne of Thy glory (standeth) unto all the generations of the ages, and Thy name holy and glorious and blessed unto all the ages! Thou hast made all things, and power over all things hast Thou: and all things are naked and open in Thy sight, and Thou seest all things, and nothing can hide itself from Thee. Thou seest what Azazel hath done, who hath taught all unrighteousness on earth and revealed the eternal secrets which were (preserved) in heaven, which men were striving to learn: And Semjaza, to whom Thou hast given authority to bear rule over his associates. And they have gone to the daughters of men upon the earth, and have slept with the women, and have defiled themselves, and revealed to them all kinds of sins. And the women have borne giants, and the whole earth has thereby been filled with blood and unrighteousness. And now, behold, the souls of those who have died are crying and making their suit to the gates of heaven, and their lamentations have ascended: and cannot cease because of the lawless deeds which are wrought on the earth. And Thou knowest all things before they come to pass, and Thou seest these things and Thou dost suffer them, and Thou dost not say to us what we are to do to them in regard to these.’” 1 Enoch 9:1-11

And these are the names of the holy angels who watch. Uriel, one of the holy angels, who is over the world and over Tartarus. Raphael, one of the holy angels, who is over the spirits of men. Raguel, one of the holy angels who takes vengeance on the world of the luminaries. Michael, one of the holy angels, to wit, he that is set over the best part of mankind and over chaos. Saraqael, one of the holy angels, who is set over the spirits, who sin in the spirit. Gabriel, one of the holy angels, who is over Paradise and the serpents and the Cherubim. Remiel, one of the holy angels, whom God set over those who rise.” 1 Enoch 20:1-8

“And after that my grandfather Enoch gave me the teaching of all the secrets in the book in the Parables which had been given to him, and he put them together for me in the words of the book of the Parables. And on that day Michael answered Raphael and said: ‘The power of the spirit transports and makes me to tremble because of the severity of the judgement of the secrets, the judgement of the angels: who can endure the severe judgement which has been executed, and before which they melt away?’ And Michael answered again, and said to Raphael: ‘Who is he whose heart is not softened concerning it, and whose reins are not troubled by this word of judgement (that) has gone forth upon them because of those who have thus led them out?’ And it came to pass when he stood before the Lord of Spirits, Michael said thus to Raphael: ‘I will not take their part under the eye of the Lord; for the Lord of Spirits has been angry with them because they do as if they were the Lord. Therefore all that is hidden shall come upon them for ever and ever; for neither angel nor man shall have his portion (in it), but alone they have received their judgement for ever and ever.” 1 Enoch 68:1-5

The canonical book of Revelation confirms the statements of Enoch that there are seven angels that stand before God:

“When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.” Revelation 8:1-2

Two of the seven are named elsewhere in the inspired Scriptures:

“I am Raphael, one of the seven angels who stand ready and enter before the glory of the Lord.” Tobit 12:15 New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE)

“And the angel answered and said to him, ‘I am Gabriel, who stands before God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.’” Luke 1:19

The foregoing clearly shows that Michael is not the only archangel since there are at least six others. Therefore, there is nothing in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 to prove that the voice of the archangel mentioned therein is that of Michael, as opposed to one of the other archangels who will also be descending when the risen Lord returns to the earth to judge the living and the dead (Cf. Matt. 16:27; 25:31-33; 1 Thess. 3:13; 2 Thess. 1:5-20; Jude 1:14-15, 21; Rev. 19:11-21).

Unless stated otherwise, scriptural references taken from the Legacy Standard Bible (LSB).

FURTHER READING

AN/THE ARCHANGEL’S VOICE?

Is Jesus Christ the Archangel Michael?

Michael’s Contention With Satan

JUDE TESTIFIES: JESUS IS NOT MICHAEL!

JUDE & MOSES’ ASSUMPTION

JUDE’S EPISTLE VERSUS ARIANISM

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