Was Jesus an angel before he was on earth?
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God; the Word also was a god [a mighty one].” John 1:1 RVIC
Jesus is often called the Word because God reveals his word, plan or purpose through him. We believe that Jesus was God’s only direct creation. All the rest of the creation (angels, universes, the earth and humankind) was done by God through Jesus.
“All things were made through him; and without him was not anything made that hath been made.” John 1:3 RVIC
God was the architect, but Jesus was the builder. Confirming the supremacy of Christ, the Apostle Paul states,
“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.” Colossians 1:15- 16
The above scriptures verify that Jesus was indeed a spiritual being of great magnitude—an archangel.
The term archangel means chief messenger. By definition, “chief messenger” denotes singularity. Therefore, there can be only one chief messenger, or archangel. In Jude 9, we are told that this archangel’s name is Michael.
In Daniel 10:13-21 and 12:1, Michael is mentioned with great respect and is designated as the angel Gabriel’s superior. A most significant event that stands out in our minds was the announcement by Gabriel of the conception of Jesus (Luke 1:26). Why would not the chief messenger Michael have made such a momentous announcement to Mary? We conclude that he could not have done so if he had been transformed from his status as archangel into the babe Jesus.
Another clue that Jesus was the archangel Michael stems from the very meaning of the name “Michael.” Michael means, “who is like God.” The Apostle Paul confirms this thought when he says that Jesus “is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation” (Colossians 1:15).
Was Jesus an angel before he came to earth as the Son of God? Yes, he was. Jesus was God’s first and only direct creation. He is God’s only Begotten Son, whose name, prior to his transformation by God into a perfect human babe, was Michael, the Archangel.
