A Look At St Michael The Archangel
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The Holy Scriptures often speak of created intelligences, other than humans, who worship God in heaven and act as His messengers and agents on earth (The Vatican). These beings are known as angels. Angels are mentioned in the Bible when they deliver messages, or appear in humans’ dreams. Gabriel is the angel who appears most to humans. Michael is called an archangel and a spirit prince. (Student’s Life Application Bible, Daniel 10:13, 31). The archangel Michael is also a saint and is revered world-wide.
What is an angel? The Vatican describes them as “spiritual, non-corporeal beings” (The Vatican). This implies that angels are something altogether separate from human beings. But, angels are also blessed with free will. Angels have a choice whether to follow God or not. “God at the beginning of time created from nothing both creatures together, the spiritual and the corporeal, that is, the angelic and the earthly, and thus He created human nature as having both, since it is made up of spirit and of body” (The Vatican). Angels then, do not have bodies and are just spirits. They can take the form of a human, as they often do when they are mentioned in the Bible. But it is not a true body like ours. Humans are both spiritual and corporeal. We have a body and we have a soul. Angels live in heaven with God and according to St. Augustine, “always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven.” St. Michael is called an archangel, where does this place him? There are classes of angels, according to Pope Gregory 1. This is the order he believed was to be the order of angels from highest rank to lowest: Seraphim, Cherubim, Thrones, Dominions, Principalities, Powers, Virtues, Archangels and Angels. This points out that angels are actually are on the lowest scale of the celestial hierarchy. Even Michael, who is an archangel, is not one of the higher ranks of angels. But, we do not hear of any types of angels specifically except for the four, or sometimes seven archangels. The four archangels are Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Uriel. (Michael and All Angels) According to the Bible, an angel spoke, “I am Raphael, one of the seven angels who stand ready and enter before the glory of the Lord. In Enoch: 20, the seven archangels are listed. “And these are the names of the holy angels who watch: 1. Uriel, one of the holy angels, who is over the world and over Tartarus. 2. Raphael, one of the holy angels, who is over the spirits of men. 3. Raguel, one of the holy angels who takes vengeance on the world of the luminaries. 4. Michael, one of the holy angels, to wit, he that is set over the best part of mankind and over chaos. 5. Saraqâêl, one of the holy angels, who is set over the spirits, who sin in the spirit. 6. Gabriel, one of the holy angels, who is over Paradise and the serpents and the Cherubim. 7. Remiel, one of the holy angels, whom God set over those who rise.” It is often said that these angels are associated with planets of the Solar system and specifically, Michael is paired with Saturn. (Michael and all Angels).
Michael the Archangel is mentioned only four times in the Bible. He is mentioned in Revelations “Then there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his angels. And the dragon lost the battle and he and his angels were forced out of heaven.” This gives us the image that Michael is the one who physically throws Satan out of heaven, though it was God who banished him. Daniel states, “But the prince of the kingdom of Persia opposed me twenty-one days. So Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, and I left him there with the prince of the kingdom of Persia….There is no one with me who contends against these princes except Michael, your prince (Daniel 21:13,21). Michael is twice called a prince in these Bible verses. This gives us an image of Michael being exulted over others in heaven and on earth. This is true, he is one of the beloved angels and he is worshipped on earth as well. According to research, Michael is also mentioned again in Daniel “At that time Michael, the great prince, the protector of your people, shall arise.” (Daniel 12:1). As you can see, in many of these Bible verses Michael is called a spirit prince, prince, protector of the people. Michael, in a way, is a prince. He fights for the protection of the reign of God, and he helps humans in their times of need.
I admire St. Michael the Archangel because he is willing to risk everything for his Lord. Even though God does not like killing and war, he has a heavenly army and Michael is it’s commander. Michael fights for the one true thing he believes in. He is someone I would aspire to be like.
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