Revelation 12:1–17 had recorded the battle in heaven between Michael and his angels and the dragon, resulting in the dragon’s defeat and expulsion from heaven. The name “Michael” is composed of three Hebrew words that mean, Who is like God?
But now the population of earth attributes to the beast what heaven had attributed to God! (See also Exodus 15:11; Psalm 35:10; Psalm 71:19; Psalm 86:8; Psalm 89:6; Psalm 113:5; Isaiah 40:18, Isaiah 40:25; Isaiah 44:7; Isaiah 46:5.) Here is another example of the beast putting himself forward as more than Jesus.
4 And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?”