The earliest Biblical reference to the seven archangels is in the Book of Enoch. A book largely rejected by Christianity but present in some Jewish traditions. The seven included: Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Raguel, Remiel (who fell from grace and was replaced by Phanuel), and Azrael (who is sometimes called Sariel). The key players vary slightly depending on the text and faith, but the common thread is that Archangels are both the messengers of God and the mighty weapons of heaven. They aren’t the calm, baby-faced, winged beings featured in the cherubic art of the Renaissance. Archangels are warriors in heaven and on earth.
Tales of archangels fighting demons span across many cultures; the Book of Daniel, in particular, tells of angels and demons battling over the souls of mankind. There are even scary stories about archangels lashing out at humans. This list contains some of the occasions where archangels were far from comforting celestial beings.
1. Archangels Michael & Lucifer Duked It out In Heaven
When it comes to battles, the Archangels Michael and Lucifer go way back. When Lucifer’s pride got the best of him, he decided to stage a full-on rebellion against God. He and a third of the angel population launched a war in heaven over the coveted throne. Michael wasn’t having any of this nonsense, and he and his angels rose up against the threat in an angel-on-angel war that ended with Michael literally laying the smackdown and casting the rebels out of heaven. Lucifer was hurled from heaven down to the earth and was labeled “Satan,” which means “Adversary.” This was also the time Lucifer was first called “Devil,” which means “Accuser of the brethren.”
2. Raphael Buried A Demon Alive In The Desert
The Book of Enoch tells of Raphael’s battle with the demon Azazel. And Azazel’s fate at the hands of the Archangel Raphael was so much worse than death. Under the orders of God, Raphael bound the demon’s hands and feet, found a hole full of rocks, dumped him in it, and buried him alive in the desert to await being thrown into a fire and burned alive:
“Bind Azazel hand and foot, and cast him into the darkness: and make an opening in the desert, which is in Dudael, and cast him therein. And place upon him rough and jagged rocks, and cover him with darkness, and let him abide there forever, and cover his face that he may not see light. And on the day of the great judgment he shall be cast into the fire.“
3. An Archangel Was Sent To Torment Moses About Foreskin
Some say it was a true desire to kill Moses while others claim it was just a scare tactic. There is a peculiar tale of an angel (believed to be Uriel), who was sent to torment and essentially scare the foreskin off Moses’s son.
Moses and his wife Zipporah had yet to circumcise their son. This was a great offense to God, as circumcision is dictated in the Book of Genesis. Moses was allegedly milliseconds away from being killed when his wife took a sharp rock, circumcised their son, and cast the foreskin at her husband’s feet. Moses was spared.
4. Gabriel Will Take Away Your Voice If You Don’t Want To Listen To Him
The recurring theme throughout many religious texts is that angels are messengers of God as well as terrifying forces in their own right. The Archangel Gabriel had the task of announcing the birth of John the Baptist to Zechariah. When Zechariah’s initial reaction was one of protest, Gabriel’s anger escalated rather quickly.
“I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. But now, because you did not believe my words… you will become mute, unable to speak, until the day these things occur.”
Yep, this was his way of delivering good news.
5. Uriel Flooded The Earth To Rid It Of The Children Of Human-Angel Unions
The Archangel Uriel wasn’t the only one against the idea of the fallen angels taking human wives to breed with. He was, however, one of four who spoke up and requested divine intervention on the matter. Basically, Uriel and his self-righteous posse were not at all happy that humans and angels were mating and producing a race of hybrid “giants”, known as the Nephilim. He wasn’t taking it easy on the humans either. They were considered just as guilty of defiling mankind with these unions – and ignorance was not an acceptable excuse. The existence of these cross-breed abominations and the desire to rid the world of them led to a great flood to cleanse the earth.
“Here shall stand the angels who have connected themselves with women, and their spirits assuming many different forms are defiling mankind and shall lead them astray into sacrificing to demons ‘as gods’, (here shall they stand,) till ‘the day of’ the great judgment in which they shall be judged till they are made an end of. And the women also of the angels who went astray shall become sirens.”
6. Samael Tried To Kill A Baby While Still In The Womb
The conflict between twin brothers Jacob and Esau began in the womb. There was a discrepancy over who would be born first and who would inherit the earth.
The Archangel Samael – often referred to as an angel of death – decided to step in and actually intended to murder baby Jacob while still in his mother’s womb. Once again, Michael stepped in and saved the day. Michael had every intention of burning Samael, but God decided they should settle their differences in court… because apparently, there is an Angel Court. Each of them served different but necessary functions, therefore, no burning would be permitted.
7. The Archangel Of Destruction Tried To Take Out Jerusalem
It was during the reign of King David that one of the Lord’s angels came out to destroy Jerusalem. Archangels lead supernatural armies into bloody battles and are prepared for Armageddon, but it’s believed they cannot act on their own. With that in mind, it would logically follow that the order to destroy Jerusalem must come from God. However, it was God who stopped the Angel from carrying out the mission mass destruction.
“And when the angel stretched out his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD relented from the calamity and said to the angel that destroyed the people, “It is enough; now stay your hand.” And the angel of the Lord was by the threshing place of Araunah the Jebusite.”
8. The Destroying Angel Slaughtered An Entire Army
The Hebrew Bible tells of several instances where the Lord sent his Angel of Death to wipe out the enemies of the Israelites. The killing of all firstborn sons in Egypt (during what’s now Passover) is the most famous slaughter. However, an even larger one took place. The Angel saved Jerusalem from an invasion by Sennacherib army back in 701 BCE, but not without a brutal bloodbath. An astounding total of 185,000 men were completely wiped out in one night.
9. Belial Wrought Carnage On Other Angels
Belial, the personification of wickedness in the Jewish faith, went on to become a demon in his own right – one of Satan’s finest, no less. Created right after Lucifer, Belial was one of the first to join the revolt against God. Michael and his angelic army were tied with Belial – each having won three battles of unspeakable carnage. During the seventh battle, God intervened, ensuring Michael would prevail and that Belial and his ‘angels of destruction’ would be destroyed.
However, this victory is attributed to Michael: “This is the day appointed by Him for the defeat and overthrow of the Prince of the kingdom of wickedness, and He will send eternal succour to the company of His redeemed by the might of the princely Angel of the kingdom of Michael. With everlasting light He will enlighten with joy [the children] of Israel; peace and blessing shall be with the company of God. He will raise up the kingdom of Michael in the midst of the gods, and the realm of Israel in the midst of all flesh. Righteousness shall rejoice on high, and all the children of His truth shall jubilate in eternal knowledge. And you, the sons of His Covenant, be strong in the ordeal of God! His mysteries shall uphold you until He moves His hand for His trials to come to an end.”
10. The Archangel Jophiel Evicted Adam And Eve
While not brought up very often, the Archangel Jophiel once played a large role in Biblical history. Jophiel is said to be the flaming-sword-wielding badass that guarded the Tree of Knowledge in the garden of Eden. Armed with his flaming sword of great supernatural power, he booted Adam and Eve from the only home they’d ever known after God’s rules had been broken.
11. In Islam, Azrael Is Covered In Eyes & Tongues
Azrael is the Archangel of death in Islam, similar to the concept of a grim reaper in Judeo-Christian traditions. Azrael is described as having four faces and four-thousand wings. His body is covered in eyes and tongues (the number of which corresponds to the number of humans on earth).
12. Michael Battles The Devil For Souls
The war in heaven wasn’t the last time Michael had to get scrappy with his brother Lucifer. Anytime Lucifer crosses the line, Michael is ready to waltz right in with his flaming sword and rough up the Big Bad himself.
Michael is the commander of the Lord’s army of angels in heaven, the resident badass if you will. Definitely, someone you want in your corner.
According to Jude 9, the Archangel Michael battled the Devil for the soul of the great Moses. The Devil decided Moses was his for the taking on the basis that Moses murdered an Egyptian before the Exodus. This wasn’t getting past anyone upstairs, though. Moses was a servant of the Lord, so Michael was sent to save him – body and soul – from the Devil’s clutches.
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