He is not unique. Jesus is the one and only Son of God. As one with the Father, Christ can rebuke the Devil also. Angels accomplish what humans imagined Christ would do — defeat armies — while only Christ could surpass the limits of human imagination and desire by accomplishing victory over what matters most — separation from God because of our sin. We see that in the verses cited above. Angels are at work around us, and it is tempting to become more enthralled with these beautiful, mighty creatures than with the Son of God.
Even as he fights Satan during the end times, however, the Archangel Michael will not be as powerful as the Messiah. Hebrews We ought to take comfort in the eternal God and his everlasting arms Deuteronomy , not the arms of angels. Candice Lucey is a freelance writer from British Columbia, Canada, where she lives with her family. Rest assured, God has no match. Man stands just a little lower than the angels, even powerful ones like Michael Psalm Hope Bolinger is a literary agent at C.
More than of her works have been featured in various publications ranging from Writer's Digest to Keys for Kids. She has worked for various publishing companies, magazines, newspapers, and literary agencies and has edited the work of authors such as Jerry B. Jenkins and Michelle Medlock Adams. Find out more about her here. Share this. What Are Archangels in the Bible? How Many Archangels Are There? Archangels in the Bible The Bible only attributes the rank of archangel to one angel: Michael.
Archangels in Other Ancient Texts We need to make a certain distinction before we dive into this section. How Did Lucifer Fall? Raphael stands before the throne of God Tb 12, 15, see Rev 8: 2 , accompanied and protects Tobias in his perilous journey and healed his father from blindness and his future bride from the influence of evil.
In general, therefore, the task of the three Archangels, in addition to contemplation of God, is to communicate His Will to man in various ways, to be an inspiration for human beings, and the catalysts of divine grace for them. Popular iconography represents him as a warrior in armour wielding a sword , or intending to slay a dragon that symbolises the Devil, with a spear. In fact, this is the role played by Michael, that of the fighter fighting against rebel angels who are led by Lucifer.
The theatre for this new battle is no longer heaven, forbidden to Satan, but the souls of we humans, constantly targeted by the flattery of Evil, and instigated at every moment to rebel against God. The Devil tries to convince men that God is a tyrant, who limits their freedom and their own full realisation in the creation.
The Archangel Michael is sent from heaven to protect men and guide them, to teach them to distinguish good from evil and truth from falsehood. In the Apocalypse, where he revealed himself to John, he is described as a majestic being, vested with the task of examining the souls destined for the Last Judgment. It is no coincidence that Castel S. Angelo, the fortress where the Pope takes refuge when in danger, is watched over by his statue, and travellers and pilgrims invoke his name and his protection against the hazards of the journey.
Some studies have sought to see in Archangel Michael, the influence of ancient myths linked to the legendary figure of a god-hero killer of monsters, like the Babylonian god Marduk, or of pagan gods who were engaged to act as mediators between heaven and earth, like the Greek god Hermes. The same festival dedicated to the Archangel, on 29 September, falls on this day as a legacy of the celebrations of the Autumn Equinox, a consecrated feast in Mithras, of a divinity linked to the Sun by the Persians and then the Romans.
His cult, within the Catholic Church, started in the East, but spread rapidly throughout Europe, especially following his appearance on the Gargano, in Puglia, when the Archangel appeared in San Lorenzo Maiorano in a cave that centuries later became a pilgrimage for popes, sovereigns and future saints.
Near the cave rose the Basilica Sanctuary , which still today remains one of the most important and magnificent places of worship among those dedicated to the Archangel Michael. Joseph and St. Michael the Archangel, recognising once again his role as defender of the Faith and of the Church.
His skills as a judger of souls have also made him the patron of all trades that involve the use of assessments, such as traders, pharmacists, pastry chefs. He is also patron saint of the Police. Even the Archangel Gabriel, like Michael and Raphael, has a festival day- which is celebrated on September 29th. In the Bible, he is also presented as an angel of death, while for the Muslims he is one of the chief Messengers of God and the angel who revealed the Koran to Muhammad.
He revealed the future birth of John the Baptist to Zechariah, he appeared in a dream to Joseph to make him desist from repudiating Mary, because her pregnancy was the work of the Holy Spirit, and, naturally, because she was the bearer of a miraculous conception and of the birth of Jesus.
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