The Lord shows in this verse what is happening behind the scenes in history. In a time of great distress for the believers, you can imagine people saying or thinking, Where is the Lord with his love, his protection?
The Lord now shows that during times of great distress for his people there is a battle being fought behind the battles we see happening. In such a period, especially the archangel Michael is fighting for God’s people in a special way. He is the captain of God’s army. He fights against the devil and his demonic helpers. The period of Antiochus was the most difficult for God’s people to date. The Lord Jesus later recalls what happened during that time when he speaks about his own return (see Matthew 24:17–20). He then points out that an even more difficult time will come for God’s people, for his church. We read about it in Matthew 24:21: For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be.
Even in those times, the children of God can become despondent and distraught. It is precisely in such circumstances that God’s faithful people may know that God continues to provide his angels: it is God’s army led by Michael.
We also read of Michael as the captain of God’s army when the Lord Jesus ascended into heaven. When the Lord Jesus has entered heaven, the following happens: Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. 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
(Revelation 12:7–9).
Michael, then, is a special helper of the Lord. He also functioned as such in the time of Antiochus. Indeed, we read in Daniel 10:21, But I will tell you what is inscribed in the book of truth: there is none who contends by my side against these except Michael, your prince.
Michael plays an important role in the protection of God’s people, in protecting those who are written down in God’s book. Their names are written down in the book of truth as we read about it in the book of Daniel (see Daniel 10:21). They are also written in the book of the Lamb of which we read in the book of Revelation (see Revelation 3:5; Revelation 13:8; Revelation 21:27).
1 “At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book.