Will The Real Michael Please Stand Up (Pt. 4 )?

Michael in Mormonism

Mormonism or the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have a unique position regarding their belief about Michael. In Mormon doctrine, Michael the Archangel is identified as a premortal spirit who played a significant role in the creation of the world. According to Mormon belief, Michael was a high-ranking angel who was entrusted with the responsibility of leading and directing the other angels in the work of creating the world under the direction of God the Father and Jesus Christ.

In Mormon theology, Michael is also identified as Adam, the first man, who was placed on the Earth to govern and oversee the creation. According to this belief, Adam is viewed as a kind of archangel, a divine messenger who was called to lead and instruct his descendants in the ways of God.

But aside from this belief that Michael the Archangel is also Adam, they have another, stranger, more ridiculous belief and that is the Adam-God theory. In the Adam-God theory, Adam was a mortal man, resurrected and then exalted and then became Michael the Archangel and created the earth and then became mortal after eating the forbidden fruit but later returned to the heavenly throne as God. You’re probably saying in your head, “What the…?” as your mind struggles to process this information and just gives up in disbelief. (Don’t let me get started on the Mormon belief that Satan is Jesus Christ’s younger brother. We will get to that on another post)

Even Mormons have a hard time accepting this Adam-God teaching, that’s why officially, the Mormon church does not accept this as doctrine, even though it was taught by Brigham Young, the successor of Joseph Smith and even though Mormons believe that their church presidents are prophets and their “revelations” carry weight.

Because of this, they are fumbling for explanations to reconcile this with the rest of their doctrines but since they cannot, they just dismiss this doctrine as an anomaly.

Here is the quote from Brigham Young’s 1852 sermon regarding this Adam-God theory

Now hear it, O inhabitants of the earth, Jew and Gentile, Saint and sinner! When our father Adam came into the garden of Eden, he came into it with a celestial body, and brought Eve, one of his wives, with him. He helped to make and organize this world. He is MICHAEL, the Archangel, the ANCIENT OF DAYS! about whom holy men have written and spoken–HE is our FATHER and our GOD, and the only God with whom WE have to do.

While officially the Mormon church does not adhere to the Adam-God theory, they do believe that Michael the Archangel is Adam. Here is a quote from Joseph Smith supporting their belief

The Priesthood was first given to Adam; he obtained the First Presidency, and held the keys of it from generation to generation. He obtained it in the Creation, before the world was formed, as in Genesis 1:26, 27, 28. He had dominion given him over every living creature. He is Michael the Archangel, spoken of in the Scriptures.” (Smith, Teachings, p. 157.)

As you can see, Mormons do not use the Bible alone to support their beliefs because aside from the Bible, the Mormons believe in “the Book of Mormon, Doctrines and Covenants, Pearl of Great Price and the words of modern prophets and apostles”

In fact, Mormons do not believe that the Bible is inerrant. Mormons believe that the Book of Mormon is more correct than the Bible. According to their prophet Joseph Smith,

I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book” (Introduction to the Book of Mormon)

And according to Mormons,

The Book of Mormon is evidence that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God and that the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth (Introduction to the Book of Mormon)

Here are some references to Michael according to Mormon Literature

And the Lord appeared unto them, and they rose up and blessed Adam, and called him Michael, the prince, the archangel. Doctrine and Covenants 107:54

And also with Michael, or Adam, the father of all, the prince of all, the ancient of days;” Doctrines and Covenants 27:11

But, behold, verily I say unto you, before the earth shall pass away, aMichael, mine archangel, shall sound his trump, and then shall all the dead awake, for their graves shall be opened, and they shall come forth—yea, even all. Doctrines and Covenants 29:26

And Michael, the seventh angel, even the archangel, shall gather together his armies, even the hosts of heaven. Doctrines and Covenants 88:112

…The voice of Michael on the banks of the Susquehanna, detecting the devil when he appeared as an angel of light!… Doctrines and Covenants 128:20

If one would believe that the Book of Mormon is “the most correct book on earth” then Michael the Archangel is indeed Adam but that would contradict what the Bible says. But of course, not according to Mormons because they believe that the Bible and Book of Mormon support each other. But since Mormonism is not the main topic of this blog post but instead to find out whether the Bible teaches that Michael and Jesus are the same person, we will leave it at that.

VERDICT: Michael and Jesus are not the same person according to Mormonism, because Michael and Adam are.