Brakelite
Well-Known Member
The meaning of the name “Michael” may present more evidence as to his identify. I present it here for your consideration.
The name Michael in Hebrew is מִיכָאֵל. Broken apart, we have מִי (pronounced miy) meaning “who,” followed by the conjunction כִּי, and then אֵל (pronounced el) meaning “god.” The Hebrew word מִי is interrogative, so the placement of a question mark is appropriate. Thus the name is quite literally a question, “Who is like God?” It’s Greek equivilant Μιχαήλ apparently means the same thing. Some scholars may interpret the term without the question, in which case it would simply mean “who is like God.”
Names in the bible have significance. Apart from Michael, there is only one other person who said something similar, and it was Lucifer, “I will be like the most high” (Isaiah 14:12-13, 14). Interestingly, a battle ensues between Michael and Satan in Revelation 12. So the one who thinks he is like God, confronts the one whose name means “Who is like God?” Now if the name is a question, the named one is pointing to himself in answer to that question, because we learned above that Michael is always a manifestation of Jesus under this name. If it is not a question, the answer is the same. Only Jesus is Michael, “who is like God.”
WHY USE THE NAME MICHAEL?
The meaning of the name may help us answer this question. Names in the Bible often represent the special characteristic of the person which many times we see connected to an event. Though we don’t always have a clear explanation as to why a particular person may have a specific name, the principle is brought out in 1 Samuel 25:25, where Nabal’s name is the target of Abigail’s explanation that he is a fool: “For as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him.” Likewise we see the name of Jacob changed to Israel based on his conversion from being a supplanter to being a prevailer, respectively. God’s special characteristics are also seen when we look at his various names. Jehovah (or YHWH) is his proper name, and it means “to be, to exist, to become” revealing that God is self-existent and disclosing. Here are a few examples of other names attributed to God which also provide for us important details about his character and activities in the lives of his people:
Jehovah-Jireh – Genesis 22:14 – means “The Lord Provides”
Jehovah-Nissi – Exodus 17:15 – means “The Lord is my Banner, Miracle”
Jehovah-Tsidkenu – Jeremiah 23:6 – means “The Lord Our Righteousness”
El Shaddai – Genesis 17:1 – means “Lord God Almighty”
Jehovah-Mekoddishkem – Exodus 31:13 – means “The Lord Who Sanctifies You”
Jehovah-Shalom – Judges 6:24 – means “The Lord is Peace”
We shouldn’t find it strange that Jesus would have other names. After all, isn’t he called “Emmanuel,” which means “God with us” (see Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23)? Isn’t he also prophetically called “David” (compare Jeremiah 30:9, Ezekiel 34:23 with ) We learned that Michael means “Who is like God?” and it seems like every time he appears he is always defending God’s people. Since names usually reveal an individual’s character then it’s plausible that Jesus uses Michael because it, like Emmanuel, reveals who he really is: The Divine Son of God who Protects his People.
I am not presenting this as a doctrine that must be accepted in order to be saved. Nor am I suggesting that a Christian is less or more on the basis of that acceptance or rejection. I am merely showing that it is not necessarily true that Michael is created angel. Having the title 'archangel' does not prove that. There are alternative understandings that are biblical and not the stretch you would imagine them to be.
The name Michael in Hebrew is מִיכָאֵל. Broken apart, we have מִי (pronounced miy) meaning “who,” followed by the conjunction כִּי, and then אֵל (pronounced el) meaning “god.” The Hebrew word מִי is interrogative, so the placement of a question mark is appropriate. Thus the name is quite literally a question, “Who is like God?” It’s Greek equivilant Μιχαήλ apparently means the same thing. Some scholars may interpret the term without the question, in which case it would simply mean “who is like God.”
Names in the bible have significance. Apart from Michael, there is only one other person who said something similar, and it was Lucifer, “I will be like the most high” (Isaiah 14:12-13, 14). Interestingly, a battle ensues between Michael and Satan in Revelation 12. So the one who thinks he is like God, confronts the one whose name means “Who is like God?” Now if the name is a question, the named one is pointing to himself in answer to that question, because we learned above that Michael is always a manifestation of Jesus under this name. If it is not a question, the answer is the same. Only Jesus is Michael, “who is like God.”
WHY USE THE NAME MICHAEL?
The meaning of the name may help us answer this question. Names in the Bible often represent the special characteristic of the person which many times we see connected to an event. Though we don’t always have a clear explanation as to why a particular person may have a specific name, the principle is brought out in 1 Samuel 25:25, where Nabal’s name is the target of Abigail’s explanation that he is a fool: “For as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him.” Likewise we see the name of Jacob changed to Israel based on his conversion from being a supplanter to being a prevailer, respectively. God’s special characteristics are also seen when we look at his various names. Jehovah (or YHWH) is his proper name, and it means “to be, to exist, to become” revealing that God is self-existent and disclosing. Here are a few examples of other names attributed to God which also provide for us important details about his character and activities in the lives of his people:
Jehovah-Jireh – Genesis 22:14 – means “The Lord Provides”
Jehovah-Nissi – Exodus 17:15 – means “The Lord is my Banner, Miracle”
Jehovah-Tsidkenu – Jeremiah 23:6 – means “The Lord Our Righteousness”
El Shaddai – Genesis 17:1 – means “Lord God Almighty”
Jehovah-Mekoddishkem – Exodus 31:13 – means “The Lord Who Sanctifies You”
Jehovah-Shalom – Judges 6:24 – means “The Lord is Peace”
We shouldn’t find it strange that Jesus would have other names. After all, isn’t he called “Emmanuel,” which means “God with us” (see Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23)? Isn’t he also prophetically called “David” (compare Jeremiah 30:9, Ezekiel 34:23 with ) We learned that Michael means “Who is like God?” and it seems like every time he appears he is always defending God’s people. Since names usually reveal an individual’s character then it’s plausible that Jesus uses Michael because it, like Emmanuel, reveals who he really is: The Divine Son of God who Protects his People.
I am not presenting this as a doctrine that must be accepted in order to be saved. Nor am I suggesting that a Christian is less or more on the basis of that acceptance or rejection. I am merely showing that it is not necessarily true that Michael is created angel. Having the title 'archangel' does not prove that. There are alternative understandings that are biblical and not the stretch you would imagine them to be.
