St. Michael and All Angels

Daniel 10:10-14, 12:1-3; St. Matthew 18:9

September 29, 2024

+INJ+  Brothers and Sisters, Today is the feast of St. Michael and All Angels. The first thing to address is this confusing title “Saint.” We don’t expect it for an angel. “Saint” is usually used for one of the great Christians in the NT or early church, like St. Mary, St. Peter, or St. Augustine. However, the word “Saint” just means “holy one.” Approaching it from that angle, it makes sense to call the angels “saints,” “holy ones,” because the Bible often calls them that.

“Angel” is just one class of these spirits; God’s Word tells us about various ranks or types, such as archangels, cherubim, seraphim, principalities, and powers. These are highly intelligent beings with powers we cannot comprehend. They serve God, worship Him, carry out His commands, and they also protect God’s people. The book of Hebrews asks the rhetorical question, “Are [the angels] not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?” [Heb. 1:14].

We’re only told the personal names of a few of these spirits; one of them is a powerful angelic lord named Michael. Michael is a warrior, and He appears in both the OT and Epistle readings for today. In Daniel, he’s called a prince, which means he’s a ruler, he has a position of command in the angelic hierarchy. In Revelation, we see him commanding the war against the dragon.

There is only one other angel given a personal name in the Scriptures, Gabriel. Gabriel visits Zechariah and the BVM to announce the conceptions of John the Baptist and Jesus, respectively.

In the Gospel reading for today, we learn there are angels who have the specific task of watching over the disciples of Jesus. Jesus says, “Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven.” The phrase their angels means they are assigned to Christ’s “little ones” to guard and protect them. Who are “these little ones”? It can mean children, but more likely it refers to those the world deems insignificant, unimportant. These angels “see the face” of the Father, that is, they have access to the heavenly throne room. They can bring a complaint straight to the top. When God’s little ones are despised, He will make it right. “Vengeance is mine, says the Lord, I will repay.”

That guardianship is carried out on a larger scale by a powerful spirit like Michael. In Dan. 12, The ESV says Michael “has charge of (your people).” The NKJ says Michael “stands watch over” them. Both of these translations are trying to capture the Hebrew verb meaning “to stand, to take one’s stand” [עמד, TLOT]. With this verb a soldier takes his position, and resists the enemy’s attack. He withstands. That’s what the holy angels do for God’s people: stand guard.

The prophecy of Daniel we heard in chapter 12 tells about the last and final great time of trouble on earth. At that time, the final antichrist will arise. The Bible teaches us there are many antichrists. Over the centuries Christians have seen Roman emperors, Gnostic false prophets, and the Papacy as all fitting the marks of Antichrist.

But at the time of the very worst trouble for the people of God, the Word of God comforts us by telling us Michael will at God’s command arise and defend God’s people. He will put an end to the power of the demons.

Demons are real. One-third of the spirits, or angels, rebelled along with Lucifer, the “light-bearer.” The light-bearer turned to the darkness. Some of these demons in the course of time gained a very strong influence over certain nations and governments. By mastering the rulers, they control the governments. In antiquity, they developed rituals to worship the demons, which we call idolatry. In the modern Western world, the worship of demons takes a different form. The demons have turned mankind to celebrate in our own destruction. And that demonic influence is at work in the government and primary cultural institutions of our nation.

A government that allows the slaughter of children in utero is a government under the influence of demons.

A government that provides no care for survivors of abortion is a government under the influence of demons.

A government that glories in the desecration and sterilization of the human body and calls it gender affirmation is a government under the influence of demons.

A government that uses international conflict as an opportunity for massive transfers of wealth with disregard for its own people is a government under the influence of demons.

What do all of these things have in common? Disregard for human life and distorting the purpose of marriage and the marriage act.

We are in a war. The war with the demons, today’s Epistle tells us, has come to us. They are inside the wire.

And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him…. “Woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!” [Rev. 12:9, 12]

We are in a war. It is a war with a deceiver, “the deceiver of the whole world.” It’s a propaganda war. The demons work through lies. This war is not against flesh and blood. St. Paul tells us our own part in the war, and what we are fighting:

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. [Eph 6:10–13]

St. Michael and All Angels day is for our comfort in the midst of this war. In his commentary on Daniel, H.C. Leupold gives us this summary:

The sum of the matter is this: There are powerful forces of evil at work in and through the nations and their rulers to defeat and to overthrow the people of God. This may alarm and cause terror when one considers how powerful these demon potentates are. On the other hand, there are still more powerful agents of good at work who, by harmonious cooperation, will prevail over their wicked opponents. So the cause of the kingdom is in good hands, and its success is assured. [pp459–460]

So the angels guard and fight for us. The most important thing, however, is that the angels point us to Christ. The church’s liturgy is filled with angelic references, but most particularly, every Sunday we repeat the songs the angels taught us, first about the birth of Jesus, and then as we prepare to receive Christ in the Holy Communion. At the birth of Jesus, the angels sang, “Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” We repeat their song about the birth of Jesus every Lord’s Day. The angels point us to Jesus. And then there’s Isaiah’s vision of the heavenly throne room, where the angels sing, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth,” which means commander of the hosts of angelic armies. The Triune God is holy, and the angels teach us to worship as that holiness comes to us in the body and blood of Jesus. The angels point us to Christ.

So take heart, dear Christians! Christ is risen, and His holy angels will guard and keep us in this war. The victory is certain, the outcome is secured. The demonic forces shall not prevail. Though demons all the world should fill, all eager to devour us, we tremble not, we fear no ill, they shall not overpower us. The Lord Jesus Christ, and His servants Michael and the holy angels, will guard and keep you. In the evil day, they will cause you to withstand.  +INJ+