People that believed that : Charles Spurgeon, John Wesley, Jonathan Edwards, Adam Clarke, John Gill, John Calvin

Resources agrees : Geneva Bible, Lange’s Commentary, Matthew Henry

The difference between what they believe and Jahovas Wittnesses is the JW believes Jesus was just an angel, as in a created being whereas the Reformers believed Michael was divine because he is just another name for Christ. So JW would lower the divinity of Christ to an angel whereas the Reformers would exalt Micheal to the Godhead.

The belief comes from different passages like :

Rev 12:7  Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, 

So they thought because it says “his angels” he has to be God. This isn’t good reasoning since it is easy to think he was rather just simply put in charge of the angels who were to fight, he doesn’t need to be God to be in charge of angels since God is in charge of all of them, archangels included.

The other three verses come from Daniel :

Dan 10:13  The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia, 

The idea that Micheal gets called a prince is highlighted to mean it must be the same since Jesus is called the prince of peace so it must be the same. But this ignores the way of speaking completely since it said that Michael is “one of the chief princes” meaning there are a few! God appoints many different beings’ positions.

Dan 12:1  “At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. 

Again here Michael is put in charge of people, that is as far as it goes.

What we must remember is when the bible speaks of angels, there are times it speaks of angels as cherubims or seraphims, actual beings in the spirit realm. Other times an angel was a role, as the word messenger is translated sometimes as angel. This could seem confusing. But if we keep in mind that we have in the bible ‘angels’ looking like people or even as God/Jesus who showed up as the “Angel of the Lord” in the old testament, it means just because they showed up in some kind of visible form and it says the word angel, it doesn’t specifically have to mean an angelic being. But with regards to Michael “the Archangel” it is explicit.

Jud 1:9  But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.”

When we are talking about Jesus Christ, the bible says : 

Heb 1:2  but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.

Heb 1:3  He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

Heb 1:4  having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

Heb 1:5  For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”? Or again, “I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son”?

Heb 1:6  And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.”

Heb 1:7  Of the angels he says, “He makes his angels winds, and his ministers a flame of fire.”

Heb 1:8  But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.