Michael: The Commander of God’s Army of Angels

Michael is one of the most important individuals in heaven and various religions, including Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. He is an archangel and has been called the Chief of Angels. He is known in scripture as the leader of the angels who are in the service of God. In most religions, there is more than one archangel.

Purpose

His name has a very special meaning, “He who is like God,” and his purpose matches this description. His main function is to keep the earth and its inhabitants pure and fearless. He provides direction and guidance to those in need. He is the Defender of the Element of Fire and of the South. As the leader of the archangels, he is responsible for maintaining protection, justice, and strength.

Origins

Angels were created by God and are destined to serve as messengers of his word. In the Bible, the text reveals that God created nine orders of angels. These include Thrones, Powers, Angels, Seraphim, Cherubim, Dominions, Principalities, Virtues, and Archangels. Michael is the best known of the archangels, but there are others, such as Gabriel, Uriel, Sariel, Raphael, Raguel, and the fallen Lucifer.

Many are surprised to learn that Lucifer was an archangel, but this proves that all types of angels, including Michael, have free will. This proves to be a testament to Michael’s commitment to his duties as Chief of the Angels.

Legends and Stories

There are many stories about this commander of heaven that say he visited them in their time of need. Here are some of the most captivating stories surrounding the archangel.

Abraham and Isaac

In the Old Testament, a story of faith features Michael. God told Abraham, the father of Isaac, that he must sacrifice him as a burnt offering in the region of Moriah. There was no room for negotiation. This was God’s will. Abraham listened. He took his son, two servants, and a donkey and began the journey to Moriah.

When they finally arrived, Abraham asked the servants to wait with the donkey while he and his son climbed the mountain. The servants did not know what Abraham had been asked to do and thought they were going to the mountain to worship alone.

Abraham told Isaac that they were making a sacrifice. Isaac asked where the lamb for the sacrifice was. Abraham wasn’t sure what to say at first, but then he told him that God would provide the lamb. When they reached the area where the sacrifice was to take place, Abraham became incredibly sad. He couldn’t believe what God was asking him to do, but he knew he had to go through with the sacrifice. He tied his son with ropes and placed him on the altar.

Abraham raised a knife, and just before he brought it down on Isaac, an angel called out to him and told him not to harm his son. The angel said that he knew Abraham was faithful because of his actions. Then Abraham heard a commotion in the nearby greenery and saw a ram caught by its horns. He sacrificed the animal instead of his son.

The angel was Michael, and he told Abraham that he would be blessed and that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky and the sand on the beaches.

Sightings of Michael

There is a celebration called the Miracle of Chonae in the Orthodox Church. It is based on an event in which St. John the Apostle predicted the appearance of Michael near Lake Salda. Shortly after the Apostle’s departure, a healing spring appeared. A pilgrim built a church in the area, but the locals were jealous of the healing power of the spring. They tried to flood the church by diverting the river, but the angel split the rocky bed to open a new bed for the stream, saving the church.

In another story, he appeared to fishermen in Cornwall, UK, during the 5th century. During the same period, this archangel is said to have appeared in a secluded cave on Mount Gargano in Italy. There was a feast to celebrate Michael for this appearance until Pope John XXIII removed it from the calendar.

Another story says that Michael appeared to the Bishop of Avranches, Saint Aubert, in the year 708. He ordered him to build a church in an area now known as Mont Saint-Michel.

A Portuguese Carmelite nun reported Michael’s appearance in 1751. He told her that he would like to be honored with the prayer of nine invocations corresponding to the nine choirs of angels. These prayers were approved by Pope Pius IX in 1851.

A more recent story about Michael took place from 1961 to 1965, when four school-age girls reported several apparitions of one of God’s messengers in Garabandal, a small village in Spain. The Catholic Church has never confirmed these sightings, but neither has it denied them.

Family

Angels, including archangels, do not have traditional families. They are all considered to be a kind of family unit under God. They also do not have parents, as they were created in the image and likeness of God.

Appearance

There are few descriptions of angels, but there are some verses in the Bible that help give an idea of what they may be like. According to biblical descriptions, angels appear to be asexual. But many other descriptions tend to point out that they are more masculine than feminine. Specifically, the commander of the angels has been described as handsome and young but not with the wings that so many associate with angels, although artistic representations typically show him with large, outstretched wings.

Symbolism

Michael can be associated with many symbols related to angels, including halos and wings. But he is usually associated specifically with a crescent moon with a small star above it. He is also associated with a circle with a dot in the center, various visual representations of the sun, and the Hebrew letter Resh.