There is a very common image in Catholic tradition of the Archangel Michael stomping on Satan and thrust his sword down into that Serpent of Old (the devil). The concept comes from a misunderstanding of the War in Heaven (Revelation 12:7-12) where it read, "Then there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his angels. And the dragon lost the battle, and he and his angels were forced out of heaven. This great dragon—the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world—was thrown down to the earth with all his angels." (Revelation 12:7-12). The truth is Michael did not throw Satan out of heaven, he didn't have the authority. In the hierarchy of angels, the top position was the Cherub that Covereth (Captain of Cherubim), then the Cherubim with their five heads of a lion, ox, man, and eagle (Ezekiel 1:4-14), the Seraphim with their six wings (Isaiah 6:2), the Archangels (Jude 1:9), the Teraphim or worshippers (Hosea 3:4 KJV), the Warrior Angels (mighty men), the Guardians, and the Messengers like Gabriel (Luke 1:26-38). Satan was Cherub that Covereth (Ezekiel 28:11-18), the highest rank of angels, answering only to the Trinity himself. This is why when Michael argued with Satan over body of Moses he did not rebuke him on his own authority, "But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not himself dare to condemn him for slander but said, "The Lord rebuke you!" (Jude 1:9). The truth is Michael said this because the Lord is God and is Jesus Christ himself (Romans 10:9, other verse) and it was Jesus who threw Satan out of heaven in first place, "Then this further message came to me from the Lord: 12 “Son of man, sing this funeral song for the king of Tyre. Give him this message from the Sovereign Lord:
You were the model of perfection, full of wisdom and exquisite in beauty.
13 You were in Eden,
the garden of God.
Your clothing was adorned with every precious stone—
red carnelian, pale-green peridot, white moonstone,
blue-green beryl, onyx, green jasper,
blue lapis lazuli, turquoise, and emerald—
all beautifully crafted for you
and set in the finest gold.
They were given to you
on the day you were created.
14 I ordained and anointed you
as the mighty angelic guardian.[c]
You had access to the holy mountain of God
and walked among the stones of fire.
15 “You were blameless in all you did
from the day you were created
until the day evil was found in you.
16 Your rich commerce led you to violence,
and you sinned.
So I banished you in disgrace
from the mountain of God.
I expelled you, O mighty guardian,
from your place among the stones of fire.
17 Your heart was filled with pride
because of all your beauty.
Your wisdom was corrupted
by your love of splendor.
So I threw you to the ground
and exposed you to the curious gaze of kings.
18 You defiled your sanctuaries
with your many sins and your dishonest trade.
So I brought fire out from within you,
and it consumed you.
I reduced you to ashes on the ground
in the sight of all who were watching.
19 All who knew you are appalled at your fate.
You have come to a terrible end,
and you will exist no more,” (Ezekiel 28:11-19).
from the day you were created
until the day evil was found in you.
16 Your rich commerce led you to violence,
and you sinned.
So I banished you in disgrace
from the mountain of God.
I expelled you, O mighty guardian,
from your place among the stones of fire.
17 Your heart was filled with pride
because of all your beauty.
Your wisdom was corrupted
by your love of splendor.
So I threw you to the ground
and exposed you to the curious gaze of kings.
18 You defiled your sanctuaries
with your many sins and your dishonest trade.
So I brought fire out from within you,
and it consumed you.
I reduced you to ashes on the ground
in the sight of all who were watching.
19 All who knew you are appalled at your fate.
You have come to a terrible end,
and you will exist no more,” (Ezekiel 28:11-19).
This is why we Christians have learned to rebuke the devil and demons "in Name of Jesus." Because it was Jesus himself that threw the devil out of heaven, and it is by name of Jesus that all beings must submit, "so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father," (Philippians 2:10-11), and "It is written: "'As surely as I live,' says the Lord, 'every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God." (Romans 14:11), because Jesus is God (Colossians 2:9, Titus 2:13, John 17:20-23). Why would anyone bother to call on angels when you don't know which rank is needed to fight the other one. For instance, if someone said "Michael" rebuke the devil, he can't because he is an Archangel and the devil was the Cherubim that Covereth God. The only authority that can crush the devil is God's, Jesus because he destroyed works of devil, "Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil," (1 John 3:8) and "Because God's children are human beings--made of flesh and blood--the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death." (Hebrewes 2:14). Jesus Christ who is God has all authority and power (), He is the Alpha and Omega, and is above every angel, "Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
5 For to which of the angels did God ever say,
“You are my Son,
today I have begotten you”?
today I have begotten you”?
Or again,
“I will be to him a father,
and he shall be to me a son”?
and he shall be to me a son”?
6 And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says,
“Let all God's angels worship him.”
7 Of the angels he says,
“He makes his angels winds,
and his ministers a flame of fire.”
and his ministers a flame of fire.”
8 But of the Son he says,
“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever,
the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.
9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has anointed you
with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.”
the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.
9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has anointed you
with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.”
10 And,
“You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning,
and the heavens are the work of your hands;
11 they will perish, but you remain;
they will all wear out like a garment,
12 like a robe you will roll them up,
like a garment they will be changed.
But you are the same,
and your years will have no end.”
and the heavens are the work of your hands;
11 they will perish, but you remain;
they will all wear out like a garment,
12 like a robe you will roll them up,
like a garment they will be changed.
But you are the same,
and your years will have no end.”
13 And to which of the angels has he ever said,
“Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”?
until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”?
14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?" (Hebrews 1:1-14).
It is pointless to learn angelology and how to call upon certain angels to do battle against fallen angels. We must call upon the One who created all angels, even Lucifer before he fell, that is Jesus Christ (John 1:3, Colossians 1:16) who made everything through Himself. Only the Creator and Savior has the power to submit the devil and fallen angels of their various ranks to His Will. Only by calling on Name of God can the angels be submitted because they all must obey their Creator. And this is mystery, God lives in us humans who believe in Him (John 6:40), "To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory," (Colossians 1:27), "But Christ is faithful as the Son over God's house. And we are His house, if we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope of which we boast," (Hebrews 3:6), and "Don't you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?" (1 Corinthians 3:16). So we have even more authority over the angels because God has chosen to live in us Chrsitians! When we say submit to Jesus and in His name, the fallen angels see Jesus in us and tremble! For the Apostle Paul said, "Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life!" (1 Corinthians 6:3). We can judge because Jesus Christ, The Father, and Holy Spirit all live within us who believe. So when devil tries to convince you of your impotence, remember Immanuel and Alpha and Omega resides in you, for you are God's House (Hebrews 3:6) and He dwells inside you (Colossians 1:27, 1 Corinthians 3:16) and so when you say "I rebuke you devil or demons or fallen," they must obey because "at name of Jesus all shall bow." (Philippians 2:10). Do not bother with lists of angels, there is no power in them, but there is power in Jesus. Do not become deceived by the idea that you should see angels, "Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind," (Colossians 2:18), "I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had shown me these things, But he said to me, "Don't do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your fellow prophets and with all who keep the words of this scroll. Worship God!," (Revelation 22:8-9),
but instead fix your eyes upon Christ, "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God," (Hebrews 12:2) and "Jesus replied, "The Scriptures say, 'You must worship the LORD your God and serve only him." (Luke 4:8). For every angel must submit, bow, and obey Jesus, so why would you go to a lesser authority? If you could go to Senator or the President of a country which would you choose? If you could go to lieutenants or the acting General of the army which would you go to? If you could go to courtiers and barons and princes or go to King who rules them all, which would you venture to speak with?
Jesus was one who defeated Satan when he threw him out of heaven (Ezekiel 28:11-19) and again when He died on the cross (Colossians 2:12-16), and shall judge him once and for all by throwing that crafty serpent in the Second Death, the Lake of Fire, "Then the devil, who had deceived them, was thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur, joining the beast and the false prophet. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever." (Revelation 20:10). The spawn of Satan, the Antichrst may seem terrifying to us, with his ability to crush the saints for a time (Revelation 12:20, Revelation 13:7), but when Jesus Christ comes again, He will destroy the Beast with a breath, "Then the man of lawlessness will be revealed, but the Lord Jesus will kill him with the breath of his mouth and destroy him by the splendor of his coming." (2 Thessalonaisn 2:8). There is power in name of Jesus because He is Jehovah, the Lord of Hosts and He will be coming with armies of Heaven, "" (Revelation 19:11-16). Make you petitions, battle plans, and requests to the King of Kings and maker of all angels and humans and animals, and all creation, not to angels who are creation! Trust in Lord as David did and as the Apostles did. Do not get distracted with angelology, but instead look to the Most High God, the Alpha and Omega who with a blink can break and burn every fallen power that wars against us. Amen.
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