Why Miykael?

Why does my blog bear the name www.miykael.com? For one simple reason – my name, Michael, is a Hebrew name and is spelled Miykael in its original, Hebraic form. Throughout my miykaelname_monoyouth, I thought nothing of my name and knew nothing about its origin and meaning. After the Lord saved me in 1982, I began to discover the rich truths of the Bible and came to discover that my name carries with it a very important message. Because of this, I no longer go by “Mike” – but prefer my actual name of Michael. On many occasions, my name has given me opportunities to talk about the rich theological message that it carries. And what is that message? Well, simply put, my name in Hebrew, Miykael, is composed of three parts:

1. Miy: This portion is what is called an interrogative – that is, it sets the stage for a question, and that question is: “who?”

2. ka: This portion of the name is rooted in the Hebrew consonant “kaf” and is rendered as a comparative particle: “like.”

3. el: This portion of the name offers a simplified form of the Hebrew word – ‘elohiym – “el” – “God.”

Please remember that Hebrew is written from right to left. Thus, when you place these components together, you arrive at a very important question: “Who is like God?” What is interesting about this question is that the Old Testament Scriptures repeatedly seek to answer this query:

Jeremiah 10:6: There is none like You, O LORD; You are great, and great is Your name in might.

Deuteronomy 33:26: There is none like the God of Jeshurun, Who rides the heavens to your help, And through the skies in His majesty.

Psalm 86:8: There is no one like You among the gods, O Lord, Nor are there any works like Yours.

miykaelname(noone)abbrevThus, the implied answer to this repeated question is: no one. Yet, we should ask: “why does the Bible repeatedly contemplate the sole supremacy of God: that no one is like Him?” Actually, the answer to this question is extremely important. Because of indwelling sin, all men have a natural tendency to resist this truth of God’s sole supremacy. Because of sin, men entertain corrupted thoughts[1] in their hearts, continually.[2] This impacts all aspects of life, but most centrally, it infects man’s thoughts about himself and God:

Psalm 50:16, 21: 16 To the wicked God says… 21 “You thought that I was just like you; I will reprove you and state the case in order before your eyes.”

Psalm 50 reads like a lengthy wrap-sheet concerning the corrupted thoughts and actions of mankind. Verse 21 in this psalm is important because it unveils one of the root sources of such corruption: men tend to think that God is nothing more than a mere man. This is no small problem. By entertaining thoughts of God which bring Him down, the wicked exalts himself to such an extent that he ignores discipline while shunning God’s word (v. 17); he cavorts with thieves and adulterers as if God saw nothing (v. 18); he uses his tongue for evil and deceit (v. 19); and he slanders those who are even the members of his own household (v. 20). This is all bad news – and it is the reality of all men in view of the universal reality of sin, for all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). This is why God repeatedly delivers the crucial lesson of His transcendence to mankind:

Isaiah 55:7–9: 7 Let the wicked forsake his way And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the LORD, And He will have compassion on him, And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon. 8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. 9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.”

Numbers 23:19: 19 “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?”

Not only is God not a man – He is infinitely superior to all of His creation. Unlike man, His promises are sure and He is infinitely trustworthy and faithful. In a world of faithless humanity the theological message of “Miykael” is a crucial one. It is a name which brings us to the nexus of man’s corruption versus God’s holiness and absolute supremacy. It is a name which brings us back to the Gospel truth that men cannot save themselves and thus they need a Redeemer – a Savior – who’s infinite power and righteousness can accomplish the miracle of saving sinners from the wrath of God:

John 3:36: “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

Dear reader – the importance and profundity of my name has absolutely nothing to do with me. It is a name which points beyond the rubble of fallen humanity and directs us to the One who alone can save us – for no one has the power and authority to forgive sin, except God alone.


Where do you Stand?: Atheism & Religionism vs the Gospel from The Armoury Ministries on Vimeo.

[1] Ecclesiastes 9:3: 3 This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one fate for all men. Furthermore, the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil and insanity is in their hearts throughout their lives. Afterwards they go to the dead.

[2] Genesis 6:5: 5 Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

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