Michael the archangel

1) Last week, if you were present, we reviewed some information about how angels are organized.

2) We used a number of passages to show that there is more than one class of angel.

3) We have the role of archangel, the cherubim, the seraphim, and perhaps others.

4) One of the verses that I did not use that deals with this topic is 1 Thess. 4:16.

5) This is where we begin tonight – READ.

a) Hardly anyone who believes in the second coming of Christ would dispute that this even will be a “big deal.”

b) Jesus second coming will be on of the grandest events in history.

c) When something big happens, special arrangements are made and special things are used.

d) Let’s think about this matter this way.

e) Suppose the president of the United States were to come to our community.

f) Someone who is on the decorating committee says, “Let’s take $5.00 and buy decorations at the Dollar Store.”

g) Even at the dollar store $5.00 would not get us far for Presidential decorations.

6) Christ is coming back. This will be one of the most notable events in the history of the world.

7) If there are various classes of angels, which class would expect to be uniquely associated with the Lord?

8) Logically we would look for the greatest angel or the greatest angelic class.

9) This is precisely what we find in the Thessalonian letter.

10) Paul spoke about Jesus second coming and specifically mentioned the “archangel.”

11) Last week we also pointed out that we know there is at least one arch angel (maybe there is more than one).

i) “Michael” (a name meaning, “who is like unto God”) is an archangel and maybe the only archangel.

b) Tonight we want to examine a passage that talks about this arch angel; it is in the book of Daniel (Dan. 10).

c) In this chapter we find that a message came to God’s prophet (this message was an answer to Daniel’s prayer).

d) In Dan. 10:1 we are told Daniel had received a special revelation from God.

e) At the end of this verse we also learn something else: Daniel understood what this vision.

f) Prophets did not always understand the information God sent them, but this message was understood.

g) As Daniel considered what had been said, he was sad for three weeks (verse 2).

h) He knew that the information he received was very bad news.

i) Daniel was so troubled he refrained from his regular activities of life (verse 3 – READ).

j) In verses 4-5 we find Daniel standing by the Tigris River and a heavenly messengers appeared.

k) We are not told who or what this messenger was.

l) Whatever it was, it had less power than Michael the archangel (this is a key fact to bear in mind).

m) Let’s look at the description of this creature – it is very specific – verses 5-6 – READ.

12) What we see first is a belt of pure gold around the wait. This belt was glowing.

13) The appearance of this creature was very bright (remember that we are dealing with a spiritual creature).

14) The creature’s face was “like lightning.”

a) We know what the sky looks like when lighting is streaking back and forth across it.

b) Condense the sky down to the size of a human face and imagine lighting emanating from it.

c) Try to picture lighting come from a person’s face.

d) Then we come to a description of the eyes; they were like flaming torches.

e) Arms and feet are mentioned and these are compared to polished brass.

f) Then we finally come to the voice.

g) Most of us have been in a crowd. When a thousand people get together and talk, the noise level is loud.

h) Imagine a crowd of a thousand, five thousand, or ten thousand where everyone is screaming.

i) This single creature had a voice that is likened to a large group of people who are hollering.

15) If we can get an even general image of what this was like, let’s now move on to verse 8a – READ.

a) Daniel claims to have seen a “great vision.”

b) I suspect many could just hear a voice like we have described and say, “that it too much for me.”

c) For others, the face would be enough to make them fall down in fear.

d) Daniel saw the whole package, and even though he was a great man of God, he was terrified.

e) In the latter part of verse 8 we have this information – READ.

f) There are very few things in life we can see that will instantly suck the strength right out of someone.

g) Daniel was a righteous man, but what he saw was simply overwhelming.

16) He was so overcome it seems he fainted – verse 9 – READ.

17) This creature picked up Daniel (verse 10) and then said this (verse 11a): READ.

18) This creature knew Daniel was one of the good guys; heaven was pleased with him.

a) There is a lot of information here and we could take a lot of different directions with it.

b) One lesson is about prayer; I do not want to go far with this, but it is too important to bypass.

c) Let’s look at verse 12 and do so in reverse.

d) Here is the end of verse 12 – 12b – READ.

e) Daniel’s “words” (prayers) had been “heard.” Daniel prayed and heaven had listened to his prayer.

f) This is not all that new to us. We might be tempted to just skip right over this information.

g) Let’s ask ourselves this question: when his prayer was heard.

h) 12a gives us that answer – READ.

19) Daniel’s prayer was “heard” from the first day.

20) When was that first day?

21) Verses 2-3 – READ.

22) Daniel had been praying and fasting for three weeks.

23) On day one his prayer was granted. The fulfillment of that prayer came 21 days later.

a) Based upon this verse I am not so sure some of our descriptions of prayer have been quite right.

b) It has been said God answers prayer three ways: yes, no, and “later.”

c) We might revise that a bit to say, “yes, now,” “yes, later,” or “no, never.”

24) Tonight we concentrate on Michael the archangel, not prayer.

25) Michael is the great and mighty angel. He is at or right at the top of the heavenly hierarchy.

26) We might think that angels just, to use our world as an analogy, sit around and do not do very much.

27) This is not what we see in Dan. 10.

28) Michael was busy, and he was not the only one who was busy.

29) As we noted in the opening comments, the creature that appeared to Daniel was not Michael.

30) It was some other heavenly power, and this good heavenly creature was being opposed.

a) Verse 13 – READ.

b) We are not specifically told who this King of Persia was.

c) Some think he was an earthly king.

d) If we consider what we have read so far, this seems very, very unlikely.

31) Consider the military capacity in the time of Daniel.

32) There were no tanks and nuclear bombs.

33) Too, even if these weapons had existed, what good are they against a heavenly creature like Daniel saw?

34) I do not believe in ghosts, but suppose that ghosts actually do exist.

a) How would we defeat a ghost?

b) What good is a baseball bat, a gun, a knife, or a bomb against a spirit?

35) The King of Persia was not an earthly power; it was some type of spiritual force.

36) In Col. 2:15 Paul spoke of Jesus “despoiling principalities and powers” (evil spiritual forces).

37) There were some very powerful and wicked spiritual forces prior to Jesus’ death on the cross.

38) These forces had some very nasty plans, and some of these plans involved man.

39) Jesus’ death has reduced the authority of what these forces can do.

40) At the second coming of Christ, these evil forces will be entirely eliminated.

41) For the present, they still have some measure of power.

42) Many have compared them to a chained dog: get close enough and you will be bitten.

43) That seems to be a pretty good illustration of what we find in the Scriptures.

a) Dan. 10 is, of course, prior to Jesus’ death.

b) This heavenly creature said he had been trying to reach Daniel for 21 days.

c) As he attempted to get to God’s prophet, there was a force that was blocking his way.

d) It almost reminds one of two men involved in an arm wrestling match.

e) Both men are trying to win, but neither side is making much progress.

44) After about three weeks someone else showed up, and the text tells us who that was.

45) Michael the archangel arrived on the scene – verse 13 once again – READ.

46) This is a very interesting passage for a number of reasons.

a) First, Daniel was virtually overwhelmed by the heavenly creature sent to him.

b) If this creature was overwhelming to a prophet of God, what would we think about seeing Michael?

c) If a lesser creature is described as having shooting lightning from the face and torches for eyes, what about the archangel?

d) Heaven is a very interesting place.

e) We also see from Dan. 10 that angels have struggled with evil spiritual forces to benefit mankind.

47) Tonight we are not going to get into all of Michael’s work in Daniel; that is planned for next week.

48) Tonight we get a small preview of what we hope to study in 7 days.

49) We see that angelic forces have intervened on behalf of man.

50) This is exactly what the Hebrew writer said in Heb. 1:14.

a) God has used angels for man’s benefit, Jesus is our mediator, and heaven is an eternal home.

b) It sounds like God really does love the world, and has an especially great concern for His people.

c) Daniel was praying and a heavenly creature was sent to help him. That should encourage us.

51) The encouragement does not end here.

52) Look at Dan. 10:20 –READ.

a) This creature basically said he had to fight his way to Daniel to give the prophet a message.

b) Sometimes we can be called a negative “one-way” experience.

c) A person may go somewhere without difficulty, but getting back is a struggle in every way.

d) This heavenly creature said its struggle was not one way.

e) He had problems getting to Daniels, and when he left, he was going to have to problems returning.

f) If that were not enough he then said this: the “prince of Greece is going to come.”

53) We know this prince was not an earthly power for a variety of reasons.

a) In Gen. 19:13 there were two angels who told Lot, “we are going to destroy the city.”

b) When two angels can wipe out whole communities, one president or one earthly king is no problem for them.

c) Herod (Acts 12:20-23) was struck by an angel and he died.

d) What are called “princes” in Dan. 10 were very powerful forces on the side of evil.

e) Good angels somehow did battle with these wicked spirits to help men.

54) This is just the introduction to a very point that is further developed in this book.

55) Tonight we see what a thrill it is to be involved with the side of God and good.

56) If we are not on this side, there is still time to get there (we have another chance right now).