There are several proof texts which we believe confirm to us that the Arch angel Michael was none other than our Lord in his pre-human existence some of these were mentioned in our first post but here we would like to examine them as well as some others a bit closer.

Our first text is found in Daniel Chapter 10

“We have a hint here and there in the Scriptures which indicates that Satan has his representatives at the courts of worldly governments. A remarkable suggestion to this effect was made by the angel Gabriel who had been sent from the court of heaven in response to the earnest importunate prayer of the saintly Daniel (who had discovered by reading Jeremiah’s prophecy that the 70 years of captivity were closing) that his people might be ‘restored from Babylon to the land of their fathers.

The angel Gabriel’s words to Daniel ‘were, “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words [prayer]. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia.” (Dan 10:12, 13)

It has seemed to expositors inconceivable that a human prince of Persia could withstand, hold back, for twenty-one days, a mighty angel who had been sent by God on so important an errand, and that before he could fulfill his commission the Arch-angel, Michael, would have to be sent to his assistance. For this reason the conclusion generally reached by expositors is that this one whom Gabriel called the “prince of the kingdom of Persia,” was a powerful, fallen angel who secretly represented Satan at the court of Persia’s king. It would not be a great strain on our imagination to believe that Satan has had in the past, and has at the present time, his ambassadors or representatives at all the worldly, national courts of earth.” (The Herold of Christ’s Kingdom Jan 1921)

This thought is further confirmed in Verses 20 and 21 where Gabriel states: “Do you know why I have come to you? And now I must return to fight with the prince of Persia; and when I have gone forth, indeed the prince of Greece will come. But I will tell you what is noted in the Scripture of Truth. (No one upholds me against these, except Michael your prince.”

Although many commentators may believe that the prince of Persia was likely a fallen angel working under the guise of Satan we to the contrary believe that it was none other than Satan himself for it is our belief that Gabriel who was the second highest of the holy angels still remaining in the heavenly courts following the defection of the fallen angels could have handled any of these save one, Satan himself. Thus we agree with Brother Shallieu:

“The prince of the kingdom of Persia” was Satan himself, the “god of this world” (2 Cor. 4:4). Persia was the world power at that time.

How do we know that Satan was the prince of Persia that it was not referring to Cyrus?

If Daniel was knocked out by the presence of Gabriel, would Cyrus have been any different? And Cyrus was not even a holy man. Cyrus would have been knocked out too. It would be impossible for any mere man to withstand an angel. Satan is called the “prince of the power of the air” (Eph. 2:2). Therefore, Gabriel was withstood, was withheld from his mission, by one more powerful than himself. Gabriel was struggling to get down to Daniel to communicate with him, but he could not get loose from the prince of Persia until Michael, a being more powerful than Gabriel, came to his aid.

Another clue as to the identity of the “prince … of Persia” is the last term in the verse, “kings [plural] of Persia,” that is, other fallen angels. Since there is only one king on the throne at a time, the plural term indicates the fallen angels are also superior beings who interfere in the affairs of this world.

“Michael, one [or, as the margin reads, ‘the first’] of the chief princes”

The translation should say, “Michael, THE CHIEF OF THE PRINCES” (or “Michael FIRST of the FIRST princes”). In other words, there were two CHIEF Princes: the Logos and Lucifer (two “morning stars”), the word Logos being more properly a title, Michael a name.

“Morning” Strong’s # 1242 (ḇō·qer): Dawn, morning

“Stars” Strong’s # 3556 (kō·wḵ·ḇê): A star, a prince

When Lucifer lost his position as one of the morning stars or princes because of a wrong heart condition, he was demoted to Satan.

The word “ARCH” means “beginning,” “first”, “chief”. Gabriel was saying that Michael, the first of the chief princes, the primary one of the two, came to help him.

Once again put on your thinking cap, who but our Lord, the chief of the princes would be able to contend with Satan, who but “The beginning of the creation of God“–“the first-born of every creature“?

Gabriel states: “I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia,” that is, with satellite beings, with Satan’s retinue.

“We wrestle not against flesh and blood [merely], but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Eph. 6:12). The “kings of Persia” were some of those principalities, who helped to withstand Gabriel when he was on his way to Daniel. Gabriel was explaining the reason for his delay and also the reason for his coming.

After fighting with the prince of Persia, Gabriel would have to fight with the “prince of Greece,” also a reference to Satan. This change of names for Satan shows the succession of world empires. Satan was the prince of Babylon, Media Persia, Greece, and Rome. As history progresses, the god of this world just changes to a different driver’s seat, as it were.

In our next post we will take a look at Chapter 12 of Daniel.