Is Jesus also Michael the archangel?

This was my response to someone who had raised the topic back in the Pathways-Online days, and the original topic can be found here. I recently posted this on a site (Hourglass2 Outpost) that I occasionally post at, thinking that it would be nice to here what thoughts others might have on the subject, some 6 1/2 years later… and to expand on my own understanding.

What follows then, in a 5-part series, is not only the 6 1/2 year old post, but my response to someone who asked me to comment on their own observations. I hope that it at least provokes further discussion on the topic.

Original Pathways-Online post

Having said that I will probably shock not a few on this forum by admitting that by Witnesses teaching that Jesus is, in fact, Michael, we probably have erred. I say “probably,” because I do not claim to be an expert on this topic.

I say this because to teach that Jesus is Michael leaves some challenging questions which I don’t think have been addressed by the Society nor by Witnesses. I know that I personally can’t come up with a satisfactory answer to the perplexities of the doctrine.

First, we know that Jesus, having served as the Christ to redeem mankind, was then essentially handed the rulership of the heavens and earth, to begin ruling when his Father, Jehovah deemed the appropriate time. That Jesus had immense power preceding his being born as a human is a pale glimmer to his being absolutely glorified following his faithfulness unto death and subsequent being raised to life once more by Jehovah. His power is all the more limitless, second only to that of Jehovah.

Now, given that realization, let’s take it to the next step of the discussion.

And war broke out in heaven: Mi´cha·el and his angels battled with the dragon, and the dragon and its angels battled 8 but it did not prevail, neither 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.–Revelation 12:7-9 (NWT)

This is our first problem.

If Jesus’ power is now second only to that of Jehovah, then how much of a war would it really be if Jesus was actually Michael? How much of a battle would it be? While we can affirm that Satan and his angels do not prevail in this cataclysmic war in heaven, does that in and of itself give us enough to infer that because “Michael and his angels” win, that “Michael” is Jesus?

Tying in the passage from Daniel, namely the previously mentioned reference to Michael as “one of the foremost princes,” we know two more facts: one, that the angels themselves engaged in opposing conflicts with other angels. Notice how Daniel recorded what the angel told him:

13 But the prince of the royal realm of Persia was standing in opposition to me for twenty-one days, and, look! Mi´cha·el, one of the foremost princes, came to help me; and I, for my part, remained there beside the kings of Persia. –Daniel 10:13 (NWT)

“The prince of the royal realm of Persia” cannot be a mere reference to a human prince, for what human can be said to be able to stand “in opposition” for even 21 days? Even Paul mentioned the unseen influence of various demonic princes, did he not, in his letter to the Ephesians, to whom he wrote the following:

Put on the complete suit of armor from God that YOU may be able to stand firm against the machinations of the Devil; 12 because we have a wrestling, not against blood and flesh, but against the governments, against the authorities, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the wicked spirit forces in the heavenly places.–Ephesians 6:11-12 (NWT)

A more succinct rendering follows:

For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms.–Ephesians 6:12 (NLT)

Paul’s statement supports the understanding that while we have our “flesh and blood” rulers, those rulers are watched over and essentially controlled by the “evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world.” It follows, then, that the “prince of the royal realm of Persia” that was said to be “standing in opposition” to this angel sent to deliver a message to Daniel was none other than one of those demonic “evil” rulers that Paul mentions.

On that occasion, another angel, “one of the foremost princes” named Michael, came to the aid of that messenger. If there was a valid reason to say that Michael and Jesus are one and the same, would not Daniel have written that “Michael, the foremost prince (not one of those princes)” came to help this messenger?

In fact, when we reference Strong’s 08269, we find that the original word is sar, which translates into “captain, commander, prince, ruler.”

Thus, Michael is one of the foremost “captains,” “commanders,” “princes,” or “rulers” among the angelic ranks. Much like our human armies have admirals, generals, and captains as commanders of our armies (and since war is of demonic origin, there’s no surprise that our carnal warfare emulates and even may mirror demonic familiarity with ranks!), the angels have rank and station.

Which brings me back to my earlier point about Jesus’ absolute power and glory now. Could Satan and his angels really war against Jesus? It certainly wouldn’t amount to any sort of battle. We’re talking about the glorified Jesus, whose power is second only to Jehovah. Through Jesus, all of Creation came into being, so of what great feat would throwing Satan and his cohorts to the earth be for a fully empowered Jesus?

Thus, we’re left with the conclusion that Jesus himself will not personally engage in this war in heaven–but rather, will give the command, which will then be carried out by the angels which will have been loyal through the millennia. These angels will then engage in a war in heaven (this war is likely already underway, but has yet to reach a climactic point when Satan and his demons are afterwards cast to the earth), fighting against fellow angels in an unimaginable battle. Among those loyal angels will be those angelic captains, or chiefs, commanders or princes, leading the war of righteousness to its final, decisive end. And among those captains will be Michael, who obviously is a staunch supporter of Jehovah’s arrangement to the extent of having as his own name the banner of “Who is like God?”– a very challenge in itself to anyone who would dare usurp Jehovah’s sovereignty.

And yet we can identify Michael, in spite of his high station among angels, as one who leaves judgment to Jehovah, as recorded for us in Jude the following:

9 But when Mi´cha·el 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)

Clearly, Michael is an angel to be reckoned with, which makes it no wonder that he is looking forward to carrying out the work of casting the Devil and his followers from heaven.

But is he Jesus? Do the scriptures support the view that Jesus and Michael are one and the same?

No.

Humbly,
Timothy