Who is the most powerful angel?
Question:
When God created the angels, who were the most powerful? I have heard people say before I was saved that Michael was the most powerful and others say it was Satan. I know the Catholics hold Michael in high esteem, bordering on idolatry. Some people think Satan was God's most powerful and beautiful creation and was cast from heaven due to either vanity, pride, wanting to dethrone God, etc. I do know that Satan was not created evil and all angels were given free will, like men.
When believers reach Heaven, will the angels be judged by people? I find this is one a little difficult to believe.
What is Satan's given name, Satan or Lucifer?
Finally, I know this would never happen with the evil in the world, but if Satan asked God for forgiveness, is it conceivable that God would forgive him? I don't think God would since the Bible states Satan's fate is already sealed.
Answer:
For a general overview, see the sermon on Angels. Michael is called the archangel or chief angel. That refers to his position as a leader among angels. How that might translate into power is unknown.
For more on Satan, see Who Is Satan? The name Satan means "adversary." Lucifer means "morning star." It is from "not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil" (I Timothy 3:6) that we learn that pride was the downfall of Satan.
"Judge" doesn't always mean sitting at a bench weighing evidence. "By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith" (Hebrews 11:7). How can walking on a boat condemn the entire world? Because it proves that the world did not have to be in sin and that it was possible to obey God. By Noah's entrance, he removed any excuse from the rest of the world. "The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here. The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here" (Matthew 12:41-42). In the same way, we will judge angels. "Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life?" (I Corinthians 6:3).
Think about it. We don't get to see God, but angels do. We have to live in this world in physical bodies, but angels are spiritual beings. We have far less power than any angel (Psalms 8:4-5). Yet those of us who are faithful to God and are granted an entrance into heaven will remove any possible excuse from the angels who chose to rebel against God. We prove it is possible to change, we prove it is possible to serve God even while disadvantaged.
In theory, is it possible for any fallen angel to turn? I would think so, but it appears that their minds are so firmly made up to be against God that the end result is known. "And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day" (Jude 6). That will be one of the points proven in the end, we as men sin but we show it is possible to change. The angels appear to have refused to change, which makes their condemnation greater.
