Day 23: The Gospel according to MJ or #23
"MJ". Number 23. Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player to ever play the game. Kobe Bryant is an incredible athlete, but Jordan is the essence of greatness on the basketball court. "MJ". Those two letters represent the man that spent 8 hours every day perfecting his basketball game during the height of his basketball career. Eight hours every day! Eight hours shooting free throws, jumpshots, layups, dunks, and three-pointers. That's 56 hours a week, 224 a month and 2, 912 hours a year! "MJ!" The greatest player to ever play the game of hoops apparently understood that being the best in your profession, trade, or career demands ultimate dedication, sacrifice, and effort. No one can ever be the best at what they do by simply doing nothing. The dictionary is the only place in the world, where success comes before work. Rest assured, if you want to succeed in life you will have to work hard! Think Big! For today's devotional, let's study the Bible's "MJ", Michael Jesus, and discover how spending one hour a day in prayer and Bible study can put you at the top of your spiritual game.
Michael - Another name for Jesus in the Bible
The Bible's "MJ" is Michael Jesus. You see, Michael is another name for Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Bible. There are five Bible texts that refer to Michael as the archangel, prince, great prince, or one of the chief princes. Let's read them and study them to discover this Biblical truth.
Daniel 10:13
But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia.
Daniel 10:21
But I will tell you what is noted in the Scripture of Truth. (No one upholds me against these, except Michael your prince.
Daniel 12:1 “At that time Michael shall stand up, The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; And there shall be a time of trouble, Such as never was since there was a nation, Even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, Every one who is found written in the book.
Jude 1:9
Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”
Revelation 12:7 And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought.
First, let's look at 1 Thessalonians 4:16.
"For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first."
In this text, Paul the apostle under inspiration writes that when Jesus returns the second time and the righteous dead are resurrected, they will be resurrected with the shout of Jesus, and with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. Notice an additional text in John 5:25-28.
"Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation."
This amazing texts reveals that the righteous dead will be resurrected at the voice of Son of God. It is the voice of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who resurrects the righteous dead from their graves. When we put this text with the one in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 which says, "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first," we discover that the archangel (or the chief or head of the angels; the Commander and General of the Angels) is none other that Our Lord Jesus Christ. This title of archangel, does not signify that Jesus is a created being (as angels are). But instead, Jesus is the head or chief of the angels in Heaven. Thus the title, "archangel", meaning first in importance.
As Adventist Christians, we also believe and understand that the Great Controversy which began in Heaven is between Christ and Satan, and that it began in Heaven with a war between Christ and Satan. Revelation 12:7. Thus it makes perfect sense for Michael to fight against the Devil or Satan (the Dragon in Bible prophecy), if Michael is another name for Jesus. Notice it again.
"And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought."
The name "Michael" in Hebrew means, "Who is like God?" either as a question or as a statement. So in other words, the name "Michael" is a question, meaning "Who is like God?" Or it can be a statement, which means "Who is like God!" In the Bible, whenever there is a battle between the Devil and God's people and Michael shows up, Michael always wins! He always wins the battle against the Devil and the Devil's Opposing Powers. I believe Michael is another name for Jesus based on the texts of the Bible, rather than believing the Michael is just another angel in Heaven, like Gabriel. Please study the Bible texts carefully, then ask God to guide you and lead you.
I like the way the It is Written bible study, "Unsealing Daniel's Mysteries", Lesson 10 - Without a doubt, explains the Bible truth of "MJ" or Michael Jesus. Notice it below.
"There is a great deal of misunderstanding in the Christian world on the identity of Michael. Just who is this Michael? What does His name mean? The name, “Michael,” means, “one who is like God.” Michael is mentioned only five times in the Bible. Besides Daniel 10:13, 21, the other references to Michael are found in:
These verses clearly reveal that Michael is one of the many names of Jesus. Jesus is the Lamb, the Lion, the Rock of Ages, the Lily of the Valley, the Rose of Sharon, the Door, the Way, the Truth and the Life. When Scripture uses the term, “Michael,” to refer to Jesus, it reveals Christ as the “Mighty Conqueror.” Don’t let the expression, “Michael the Archangel,” (Jude 9) confuse you. The word, “archangel,” means the “commander and chief” or the “head” of the angels. Jesus is not an angel. He is the divine Son of God. He never had a beginning and will never have an ending (Revelation 1:8). He is eternal (John 8:58). He participated with His Father in this world’s creation (John 1:1-3). He existed before the angels and created them (Hebrews 1:3, 4)."
- Revelation 12:7-9—Michael commands the angels and has the authority to cast Satan out of heaven.
- Jude 9—Michael has the authority to raise Moses from the dead.
- Daniel 12:1, 2—Michael delivers His people in the time of trouble and has the power to resurrect the dead.
So Michael the archangel in the Bible is another name for Jesus Our Lord and Savior. He is the only one in all of the Bible, "Who is like God!" This makes sense because the Bible teaches that Jesus is "holy, undefiled, separate from sinners" and that "He is the only mediator between God and man." When you see Jesus, you see the "express image" of who God is, because Jesus is God. He is one of the three members of the Godhead. How fitting then, that Michael be another name for Jesus: "Who is like God?"
The Gospel according to MJ or Michael Jesus
Bringing it all together, "what difference does it make if Jesus is Michael or if Michael is someone else?" Well, remember Michael always wins when He shows up to fight the devil and his forces? The good news is that if today you are being harassed or buffeted or beat up by the Devil and his messengers, there is one "who is like God" who can come to your aid and your side and fight and win the battle for you. If Michael is Jesus, why don't you ask the real "MJ" to come to your rescue once again and to win your battle and struggle for you? It is Homosexuality? Lesbianism? Pornography? Lust? Premarital Sex? Liquor? Tobacco? Marijuana? Gossip? Pride? Arrogance? Self-Righteousness? Whatever it is today, Jesus or Michael can win the victory for you. How? Here are two promises of the Bible for you today, a promise you can go to the bank with:
"What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?" Romans 8:31-32
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us" Romans 8:37
The Victory can be yours today because you have Michael, the chief of the angels to be on your side. If you ask Him today, and He will give you the victory.
Conclusion
Remember the 8 hour Michael Jordan the Basketball player spent each day working oh his game. Eight hour may seem like a lot of time each day to spend perfecting your relationship with Jesus Christ for eternal life. However, God is not asking you just for eight hours a day. He wants your entire life and your entire heart. He says,
"My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways."Proverb 23:26
Jesus actually asks us to spend at least one hour watching (or praying) with Him each day.
"Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour?" Matthew 26:40
That's just 7 hours a week, 30 hours a month, and 365 hours a year! 365 hours a year, or 9 weeks off from from your 40 hour work week or school week to pray with Jesus! Amazing!
Ellen G. White, the messenger of the Lord, encourages us to do the same each day.
"It would be well for us to spend a thoughtful hour each day in contemplation of the life of Christ. We should take it point by point, and let the imagination grasp each scene, especially the closing ones. As we thus dwell upon His great sacrifice for us, our confidence in Him will be more constant, our love will be quickened, and we shall be more deeply imbued with His spirit. If we would be saved at last, we must learn the lesson of penitence and humiliation at the foot of the cross" Desire of Age, p. 83.
So, spend an hour, with your Savior and Friend, "MJ", Michael Jesus today, and watch Him win all of your battles for you every day!
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