Is Jesus the Archangel, Michael?
photo credit BBC News
Wait, That’s A Different Jesus! (Part 2)
A few weeks ago, I began this blog series by summarizing my latest encounter with a Jehovah’s Witness. In that first blog, I wrote some tips that could prove helpful in your subsequent encounter with a Jehovah’s Witness, and I highlighted three vital doctrinal differences between Christianity and Jehovah’s Witnesses. This blog will begin with the first key doctrinal difference by addressing their claim that Jesus was the first created being, Michael the archangel. In the next blog, I will answer the question, “Who then is Jesus?”
Before answering that question, I want to remind everyone that it is not my intention for this blog series to put down any Jehovah’s Witness. Instead, I pray that the Spirit of God works through these writings to open their hearts to the truth of Scripture, leading them to repentance from their false Jesus and to faith in the Jesus of the Bible.
Who do Jehovah’s Witnesses believe Jesus is?
First, they believe Jesus is a created being. My friend’s prooftext for this belief was:
Colossians 1:15–17 (ESV) He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
My Jehovah’s Witness friend said, ‘See Dan, Jesus is “the firstborn of all creation,” meaning Jesus was created.’
Second, they claim, being the first created being, Jesus is Michael the archangel, who created all things after God created him. Their prooftext for this claim is:
Jude 1:9 (ESV) But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.”
And…
1 Thessalonians 4:16 (ESV) For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
And…
Revelation 12:7 (ESV) Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back,
And…
Revelation 14:14–15 (ESV) Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand. 15 And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, “Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe.”
According to my Jehovah’s Witness friend, Michael the archangel (Jude 9) is the chief angel, and this means there is only one such angel. He continued to tell me that the word “archangel” is never used in plural form, only singular in all the Bible. Moreover, since 1 Thessalonians 4:16 says Jesus will descend from heaven “with the voice of an archangel,” he must be Michael.
He continued to tell me that Revelation 12:7 tells us that “Michael and his angels battled with the dragon.” Therefore, Michael is the leader of an army of faithful angels. Then in Revelation 19:14-16, Jesus is described as the leader of an army of faithful angels. So, he claims, the Bible speaks of Michael and his angels and Jesus and his angels. Therefore, he argued, since the Bible nowhere says there are two armies of faithful angels, it makes sense that Michael must be Jesus.
Finally, and because of their first two claims, they deny the deity of Jesus – “He is not God, and he should not be worshiped as God.” Of course, this results in their denial of the Trinity (we will cover this in a later blog). For this claim, my friend sited:
Deuteronomy 6:4 (ESV) “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.
WHY DOES IT MATTER?
You might be thinking, what difference does this make? What does it matter that Jesus was the first created being, Michael the archangel who came to earth as a man? If they believe Jesus is the Son of God, who came to the earth, died for the sins of the world, and rose three days later, they are saved, right? Wow, that sounds great! Not so fast! In Acts 4, we read that John and Peter were preaching the gospel and performing miracles in the name of Jesus. This infuriated the religious leaders enough to have John and Peter arrested and held in custody until the next day. The next day, John and Peter find themselves standing before the council of religious leaders to explain and defend this message they were preaching and the good works they were performing. “Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them,
8 …“Rulers of the people and elders, 9 if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, 10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. 11 This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. 12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:8-12-ESV).
Notice Peter’s language in verse 11. He says, “This Jesus…” Then in verse 12, he exclaims, “And there is salvation in no one else…” Peter’s point is that salvation comes to those who believe in the right Jesus. Let’s examine the above claims of my Jehovah’s Witness friend, considering all that Scripture says.
WAS JESUS CREATED?
When Colossians 1:15 says, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation,” we have to examine what Scripture means by “firstborn.” In biblical times, a married couple’s firstborn male child was given certain rights, responsibilities, and privileges. They were given a place of priority in their inheritance and, more importantly, a place of preeminence in the family. Let’s consider the following passage:
Psalm 89:20, 27 (ESV) “20 I have found David, my servant; with my holy oil I have anointed him,… 27 And I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth.”
We know from the Scriptures that David was not the firstborn. In fact, David was the youngest of his brothers. So, David was not the firstborn son in his family, but God bestowed on him “the highest of the kings of the earth,” meaning David was preeminent. In Jeremiah 31:9, Ephraim inherits the title of firstborn, although he was the younger brother (Genesis 41:51-52). Jesus also received the title of firstborn (Colossians 1:15), but this title does not mean he was the first created being. Instead, based on the passages above, it means he is preeminent over all creation. So, my friend’s argument that Jesus’ was created based on the word “firstborn” does not hold up to what all Scripture means by that word.
WAS JESUS MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL?
First, let’s look at a passage from Daniel (emphasis mine).
Daniel 10:13–14 (ESV) The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia, 14 and came to make you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days. For the vision is for days yet to come.”
Notice Michael’s title. It says, “…Michael, one of the chief princes….” It does not say, “Michael, the chief prince,” meaning Michael is not the only archangel. This denies my friend’s claim there is only one (singular) archangel. Let’s continue by looking a little closer at Jude 9.
Jude 9 (ESV) But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.”
A careful reading reveals the archangel Michael is in submission to the Lord as he proclaimed, “The Lord rebuke you.” Yes, Michael, the archangel, is a great power, but he is dependent on the Lord Jesus. Therefore, while he holds authority among the angels, he is in a position of submission to Jesus.
Additionally, just because 1 Thessalonians 4:16 says Jesus will return “with the voice of an archangel” does not mean Jesus is Michael the archangel. This verse teaches that Jesus will be accompanied with “the voice of an archangel.” The verse also says Jesus will be accompanied “with the trumpet of God.” So, if Jesus comes “with the voice of an archangel” makes him Michael the archangel, then if he also comes “with the trumpet of God,” does that not make him God also? My Jehovah’s Witness friend held tightly to the first part of that argument but inconsistently denied the second part of that argument.
Maybe the best place in Scripture that denies Jesus being an angel is in the book of Hebrews. Let’s read,
5 For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”? Or again, “I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son”? 6 And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.” 7 Of the angels he says, “He makes his angels winds, and his ministers a flame of fire.” 8 But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom. 9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.” 10 And, “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands; 11 they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment, 12 like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end.” 13 And to which of the angels has he ever said, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”? Hebrews 1:5-13 (ESV)
Verses 5 and 13 show us Jesus’ superiority over the angels. The Father spoke to Jesus as his begotten Son, and he gave him a seat of honor at his right hand. Then in verse 6, God commands all the angels to worship Jesus. Furthermore, Revelation 19:10 tells us that angels are not to accept worship; rather, they proclaim, “Worship God.” If Jesus were an angel, how could he rightly accept the worship of other lesser angels?
So far, we have seen that the word “firstborn” does not mean that Jesus was a created being. We have also seen that Jesus is not Michael the archangel as my Jehovah’s Witness friend tried to teach me. So, if Jesus is not the first created being, Michael the archangel, who is he? The short answer is: He is God!
When I began to show my Jehovah’s Witness friend the Scriptures that proved the deity of Jesus, he asked me three questions. First, why does the Bible call Jesus the Son of Man? Second, why does Jesus pray to God? Third, can man kill God? In the next blog, we will pick up here by answering these three questions and then examining the Scriptures I used to show my friend that Jesus was God in the flesh. Then we will consider the implications of our faith if Jesus is not God.