Who is Michael the great prince?

Scripture identifies Michael as "the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people," the one who rises up at the time when there will be trouble such as never was since there was a nation, and at that time God's people are delivered, every one written in the book (Daniel 12:1). He is also called "Michael your prince" (Daniel 10:21), showing that he is set apart specifically as prince over Israel, and he is named among "the chief princes" of heaven, coming to help when another heavenly messenger was withstood by the prince of Persia for twenty one days (Daniel 10:13).

Michael is shown as the one who fights against Satan for control of the sanctuary in heaven. He contends with the adversary who magnifies himself even to the Prince of the host, until, after the appointed time, Michael displaces him from the temple of God and from the heavenlies (Daniel 8:11 and following). This places Michael in the role of the great angelic warrior who stands against Satan's rebellion in the heavens.

Michael's character is also revealed in his restraint. When contending with the devil over the body of Moses, he did not bring a railing accusation against Satan, but simply said, "The Lord rebuke thee" (Jude 1:9). Even though Michael is the archangel who leads the heavenly armies and has real power and authority, he did not presume to rebuke Satan in his own strength or name. Instead he deferred to the Lord's authority, showing that true authority in spiritual warfare flows from God, not from the one exercising it.

So Michael is presented as the great prince and archangel appointed to stand for God's people, to lead the heavenly host in the war against Satan, and to model proper spiritual authority by invoking the Lord's name rather than his own.