Volume 38   Number 2                                                                                   October 1995

God keeps many angels at his command, but two angels stand out in the Bible as being the chief angels, those with the most authority and responsibility; one named Gabriel, and the other named Michael. Both work zealously for God and obey his every command, but their responsibilities and areas of authority differ; just as their names differ, yet have very similar meanings. The name Gabriel means, "Man of God," while Michael means, "One who is like God." When God has sent various angels to the earth, he has either intended to teach, or to battle. When he has delivered words, he has sent Gabriel, the man of God. When he has delivered judgment, he has sent the one who is like God, the archangel, Michael.

Daniel met Gabriel in Daniel 8:15. A man's voice called, "Gabriel, tell this man the meaning of the vision," and Gabriel explained things to Daniel. In Daniel 9:20, Gabriel told Daniel that he had come to give him "insight and understanding." He also encouraged Daniel by telling him that he was "highly esteemed". Gabriel later appeared to Zechariah. In Luke 1:18, the angel gave him "good news" regarding the pregnancy of his wife. When Zechariah didn't believe him, the angel pronounced judgment on him, rendering him temporarily speechless. Yet this demonstration of power was secondary to Gabriel's primary mission of the announcement and explanation of the mysteries of God.

Gabriel also appeared to Mary in Luke 1:26. In keeping with his manner with Daniel, the angel encouraged Mary by telling her, "Greetings, you who are highly favored!" before explaining the miraculous child within her. Gabriel again accomplished his mission of encouragement and enlightenment through his God-directed proclaiming and explaining.

In the Biblical account Gabriel, the teaching angel, shares prominence with an angel of a different type, Michael the warrior, the archangel. In Daniel 10:12, an angel (Gabriel?) is held up for twenty-one days by the "king of Persia." This "king" was obviously evil, or he wouldn't have held up a messenger of God; and he was equally supernatural, to possess power over an angel. This may have been Satan himself, or one of his chief soldiers. Who came to the rescue, defeating this beast from the spirit world? Michael, "one of the chief princes." Both God and Satan have their chiefs, as well as their rank-and-file. Michael serves as God's commander-in-chief. Daniel 12:1 refers to him as "the great prince who protects" God's people.

In Jude 8, Michael disputed with the devil "about the body of Moses." What would the devil want with the body of Moses? Would he want to fake life inside of it? Set it up as an idol? Put it in the hands of God's enemies? Whatever Satan's plans, Michael—with meekness reflecting the pure power of God—simply said, "The Lord rebuke you," and won the battle.

In Revelation 12:7, Michael and his angels victoriously fought the dragon called Satan and his angels, and the devil "was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him." This coincided with the great victory of Christ over death and Hades. Michael was successful in his conflict with Satan because Jesus, the source of his power and might, had won his own battle with Satan.

Most likely, God speaks of Michael in Psalms 34:7: "The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them." Also consider Psalms 35:5: "May they be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the Lord driving them away; may their path be dark and slippery, with the angel of the Lord pursuing them."

While not every angel in the Bible can be identified as Gabriel or Michael, their positions of authority give them great influence in the spiritual realm. Many angelic appearances could be ascribed to them, or to a messenger under the authority of one or the other, depending on whether God's mission was one of teaching, or one of battle. A human who understood the spiritual realm would much rather meet Gabriel, the angel of encouragement and understanding, than experience a run-in with Michael, God's warrior, who made Satan step aside with one humble rebuke.

One could say that we live in the age of Gabriel, the age of the announcement of the glad tidings of great joy, a day when the minds and hearts of men, women and children may be enlightened to the redemption and salvation of God. We have both the message delivered by angels, and the message delivered by Jesus, the Son of God. If we want wisdom, righteousness, peace, or mercy; it will not be withheld from us, the Holy Spirit of God will not be kept from our hearts ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened for you.

But the age of Gabriel is quickly coming to an end, and Michael stands ready to do battle. When Michael's voice is heard again, at the trumpet call of God, it will be too late for wisdom and learning; it will be time for the reward of the righteous and the punishment of the disobedient, time for the resurrection of the good, and time for the frustration and eternal anger of the evil (I Thessalonians 4:13, Matthew 13:36).