The Witnesses teach that Jesus is really just the Archangel Michael mentioned in the Old and New Testaments. Their argument goes something like this: Revelation 20:1 an angel comes down out of heaven and binds Satan. Revelation 12:7 Michael and His angels warred with Satan and his angels. In 1 Thessalonians 4:16 Jesus is to descend with the voice of the archangel. Daniel 12:1 Michael is seen standing for the people during the time of trouble (although they do not connect this with Matthew 24!). They then claim the angel was Jesus. They have Jesus as Michael in Jude vs 9 and Daniel 10:13. It used to be (I am told that it was in their writings) that they considered Michael Jackson as Michael the archangel when he was the biggest giver in their cult; today, he is trying to turn Muslim: some angel he is!!
Answer: Revelation 20:1 has nothing to do with Michael the archangel. If you will read the first chapter and first verse of the Revelation, it will tell you it is about Jesus Christ, not Michael, and the fulfillment of the prophesies of the Old Testament He, Christ fulfilled that was prophesied by the “servants”, the prophets. Amos 3:7, Jeremiah 7:25 Michael NEVER had the key to the pit (separation of the soul from God- Psalms 30:3, 88:3-7) OR the bottomless pit (eternal damnation, never ending separation). These keys are those who Jesus stands with in His hands in Revelation 1:17-18 and they are claimed by Christ when He was witnessed by God, the Father to be His Son in Matthew 16:18. It is Jesus who is described as “He who likewise took part in the same (physical flesh) that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death (a work of the devil), that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For verily He took not on Him the nature of angels; but He took on Him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behooved Him to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.” Hebrews 2:14-17 It was Jesus who appeared to “destroy the works of the devil”, Michael as great as he might be, could NEVER accomplish what it would take the Son of God to accomplish. A sacrifice of Michael would NEVER APPEASE, SATISFY God, the Father!! It is prophesied of Christ, “and the key of the house of David will I lay upon His shoulder; so He shall open, and none shall shut; and He shall shut, and none shall open.” It was Jesus who God, the Father gave the “sure mercies of David” (the resurrection from the grave- Acts 13:32-37) that all of us who are obedient to Him shall RISE AGAIN!! That is why the resurrection from the waters of baptism constitutes a picture of the resurrection from the physical grave that will hold our bodies, called the FIRST resurrection in Revelation 20:6. Christ freed man whom Satan has bound and cast Satan “into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled”. Revelation 20:2
Revelation 12:7 The 12th chapter of Revelation starts with the appearance of Christ from the womb of Mary. He is the child of 62 generations, reaching all the way back to Eve. When He is born, Satan tried to kill Him by Herod, verse 3, for the “man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to His throne” had come!! Israel then “fled into the wilderness” (ceased to be the deterrent of the evil one) while Christ preached for 3 ½ years. While Christ was on Earth, He was the One who stood between man and God as did Michael in Daniel 10:13, when Michael held Satan at bay so the message could get to the people of God.
