A being named Michael is named in the scriptures fifteen times: three in the Old Testament, two in the New Testament, and ten in the Doctrine and Covenants.
In Hebrew his name, מיכאל mîkāʾēl, translates into a question or statement depending on how one interprets the initial מי mî rendering either "Who is like God?" or "[He] is like God."
His name is often accompanied in scripture with titles that allow him to be identified in other verses where his given name is not supplied. Those titles include (in the King James Version):
Chief Prince, Your Prince, Great Prince, and the Archangel (see Dan. 10:13, 21; 12:1; Jude 1:9; and Rev. 12:7);
And in modern revelation his titles are expanded to include:
Father of All; Prince of All; the Seventh Angel; the Prince; and Adam, the first man (see D&C 27:11; 78:16; 88:112; and 107:54). In connection with Adam, then, he is also revealed to be the Ancient of Days (see D&C 27:11 and Dan. 7:9 – 14, 22).
Recorded or prophesied functions of the Archangel in scripture include:
The expulsion of Satan, "the dragon," and other rebellious spirits after the pre-mortal war in heaven (Rev. 12:4, 7 – 9, D&C 29:36 – 37);
The fall with the earth into a telestial state, thereby enabling the physical generation of all mortals (see 2 Ne. 2:25, Moses 6:48, and 1 Cor. 15:44 – 49);
The raising of the prophet Moses into a translated state (see Jude 1:9);
The raising of the dead at the coming of Christ (see 1 Thes. 4:16, D&C 29:26, and 2 Cor. 4:14);
The leading of the "hosts of heaven," which are called "his armies," to defeat Satan at an event called "the battle of the great God" (D&C 88:112, 114; see also "Lord of Hosts"); and
The execution of the final judgement upon all people (see Dan. 7:9 – 14, 22).
Though the Doctrine and Covenants follows the King James Version in presenting the titles of Michael in a cohesive manner with the common Bible translations of Joseph Smith's day, the additional light concerning Michael provided through Joseph Smith—especially that of his connection to Adam and hence the Ancient of Days—greatly enlarges the significance and importance of this figure in both a theological and eschatological sense. These greater perspectives even shed light on the alternative translations of the Biblical titles for Michael when resorting to the most recent Biblical scholarship now available:
Dan. 10:21
King James Version: "Michael your prince";
Young's Literal Translation: "Michael your head."
Dan. 12:1
King James Version: "At that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people";
Literal Standard Version: "At that time Michael stands up, the great head, who is standing up for the sons of your people."
Dan. 7:9
King James Version: "I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool";
Contemporary English Version: "Thrones were set up while I was watching, and the Eternal God took his place. His clothing and his hair were white as snow."
Comentários