Michael the archangel

While the language of Daniel 10:13 and 12:1 allows Michael to be identified as the second person of the Trinity, the Angel of the Lord, it more likely describes the archangel Michael (Jude 9; Revelation 12:7).

In the latter chapters of the book of Daniel, God, in a sense, pulls back the curtain of world history and gives us information we would never be able to acquire on our own.

What we do know from Scripture is that we Christians are involved in a spiritual battle of epic proportions: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12). Those last chapters of Daniel inform us that not only are God’s people engaged in spiritual warfare with evil angels but so are the holy angels. Those chapters reveal the battles that were taking place between a holy angel and an evil angel—and involving earthly governments.

As we head toward Judgment Day we can expect Satan and his evil angels, along with their allies in ungodly governments and churches (Revelation 13), to do what they can to overthrow Christ and his Church. Satan knows his time for doing this is short (Revelation 12:12). But as we head toward Judgment Day we can also expect and count on God to use his holy angels, including Michael the archangel, to ward off evil and protect his people. How God will do that escapes our observation. What we do know is the final outcome: on Judgment Day Satan and his evil angels will be confined to hell forever, never able to bother God’s people again (Revelation 20:10). How we long for that day!