Useful Bible Studies > Revelation Commentary > chapter 12

Michael and his angels

Revelation 12:7

Michael is one of the most important angels (Daniel 10:13). He is called an archangel (a ruling angel) in Jude 9. He is so important that he leads an army of angels (God’s special servants). However, he is not Christ, as some people have wrongly thought. Hebrews chapter 1 declares that Christ is much more important than any of the angels. That is what Michael’s name means. The meaning of his name is a question: ‘Who is like God?’ The answer is that not even the most important angel should ever compare himself to the greatness of God.

Michael’s special responsibility is to protect the Jewish people (Daniel 12:1) - that is, the people from Israel. That fact interests us because the woman in Revelation chapter 12 seems to mean Israel. So perhaps it is especially on their behalf that Michael fights this war in heaven.

Wherever we read about Michael, he is opposing the devil or the evil angels (the devil’s special servants). It seems that Michael’s special task is to fight against them.

Michael fights, as we have seen, with the support of an army of angels. Even as there are battles in our world, so there are battles in the spirit world. Ephesians 6:12 refers to these battles; the troubles in our world are the result of such battles. The devil fights not merely to control the earth, but heaven too. Both the angels and the people of God (Revelation 12:11; Ephesians 6:10-18) oppose the devil. However, it will be Christ who defeats the devil in the end (Revelation 19:11 to 20:3).

It may surprise some readers that God’s angels form an army. However, the references to that army in the Bible are frequent. In fact, one of God’s titles in the Bible is the LORD of hosts. The word LORD is the name of God; a host means an army. So, that title expresses the fact that God’s angels are a vast army.

Next part: Satan’s series of defeats (Revelation 12:8)

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