In the Old Testament, a recurrent figure named "the Angel of the Lord" (Messenger of YAHWEH) represents a unique figure who stands apart from typical messengers of God. This entity is not just a heavenly being but is often depicted as embodying the presence and authority of God Himself. This angel is not only involved in pivotal moments with key figures like Hagar, Abraham, and Jacob, but also directly claims responsibilities and attributes unique to God, such as promising descendants, providing redemption, and declaring divine commandments. The Angel of the Lord blurs the lines between a divine emissary and God as this unique character is interchangeably identified with Yahweh Himself. # The Angel Of The LORD Is God Before we can discuss the nature of the Angel, we must make sure we are aware of it's role and place in the story of the Bible: > [!Todo] Exploring The Angel Of The LORD In The Bible > - [[The Commander Of The Lords Army]] > - [[God Visits Gideon]] > - [[Hagar Associates The Angel Of The Lord With God]] > - [[The Angel Called Wonderful]] > - [[The Angel Delivers Israel From Egypt]] > - [[The Angel In The Burning Bush]] > - [[The Angel Of The Lord Clothes Us In Righteousness]] > - [[The Angels Is Josephs God And Redeemer]] > - [[Abraham And The Angel]] > - [[Jacob Encounters God Though The Angel]] ![[The Angel Of The Lord As Yahweh]] From the collection of passages above, we can make the following conclusions about the Angel: - **Seeing the angel is to see God himself**: - Encounters with the Angel of the Lord are often equated with seeing God. For example, Gideon's realization in [Judges 6:22-23](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/JDG.6.22-23) that he has seen the Angel of the Lord leads him to fear for his life, as if he had seen God Himself. This also happens with Jacob, ([Genesis 31:2-3](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/GEN.31.2-3)) Zorah and his wife ([Judges 13:15-23](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/JDG.13.15-23)). In the story of Hagar, she says that God has seen her after the angel spoke to her ([Genesis 16:13-14](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/GEN.16.13-14)) just as Moses saw God face to face ([Numbers 14:14](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/NUM.14.14)). - **Divine Authority**: - When speaking to Abraham, Joshua, and Moses, this angel embodies God's presence. In [Exodus 23:20-22](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/EXO.23.20-22), God commands the Israelites to obey the voice of the angel. Unlike typical angels, He speaks with God's authority, makes promises, and enacts decisions autonomously, making obedience to Him equivalent to obeying God Himself. - **The angel is Jacob's redeemer, the redeemer of Israel**: - In [Genesis 48:16](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/GEN.48.16), Jacob refers to the angel who has redeemed him from all evil, equating the Angel of the Lord with God's saving power. His ability to save and redeem Israel from Egypt show it is not just for Jacob but for the entirety of Israel. - **This angel doesn't rebuke worship from prophets like Joshua**: - In [Joshua 5:13-15](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/JOS.5.13-15), the angel accepts Joshua's worship and instructs him to remove his sandals, mirroring God's encounter with Moses, indicating divine status by accepting worship usually reserved for God. - **God's acts, power, and glory are also that of the Angel of the Lord**: - Throughout the scriptures, the Angel of the Lord performs acts that are attributed to God, such as leading Israel out of Egypt ([Exodus 14:19](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/EXO.14.19)). God tells Moses that His angel can forgive sins ([Exodus 23:20-22](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/EXO.23.20-22)). The angel's actions in [Zechariah 3:4](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ZEC.3.4), removing iniquity and providing clean garments, parallel God's role as the forgiver of sins. The angel also has the power to give life ([Genesis 16:10](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/GEN.16.10)). has the power to give life ([Genesis 16:10](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/GEN.16.10)). - **This angel commands the armies of heaven to war with His sword drawn**: - The Angel of the Lord is depicted as a militant figure, leading heavenly armies and confronting evil. This is seen when standing with a drawn sword in Balaam’s path ([Numbers 22:22-35](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/NUM.22.22-35)), standing between heaven an earth in front of King David ([1 Chronicles 21:15](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/1CH.21.15)), and before Joshua as the commander of the Lord's army ([Joshua 5:13-15](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/JOS.5.13-15)). - **We are clothed in righteousness by the Angel of the Lord**: - In [Zechariah 3:3-5](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ZEC.3.3-5), the Angel of the Lord removes filthy garments from Joshua the high priest, symbolizing the taking away of sin, and clothes him in fine garments, representing righteousness. - **His name is wonderful**: - In [Judges 13:18](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/JDG.13.18), the angel describes His name as "wonderful," reminiscent of the messianic title in [Isaiah 9:6](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.9.6), suggesting an extraordinary, divine nature. > [!success] Conclusions On The Angel Of The LORD: **The Angel of the Lord is Yahweh**: In many scriptural instances, the Angel of the Lord is referred to with the term "LORD" (Yahweh), as in [Exodus 3:2-6](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/EXO.3.2-6), [Genesis 19:24](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/GEN.19.24), and [Joshua 6:2](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/JOS.6.2). This direct identification equates the angel with the divine name, indicating His oneness with God. The Angel of the Lord is called the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses; He is intimately connected with the patriarchs and key figures of Israel's history, directly intervening in their lives and guiding them. This recurring presence and identification with God’s actions and promises to these figures affirm the angel's divine role and identity as the God of the patriarchs and leaders of Israel. # Jesus Shares The Attributes Of The Angel Of The Lord In the New Testament, Jesus Christ embodies many attributes and actions that mirror those of the Angel of the Lord as described in the Old Testament, supporting the theological argument that Jesus is the fulfillment and personification of the Angel of the Lord's divine presence and mission: - **Seeing Jesus is to see God Himself**: - Similar to encounters with the Angel of the Lord, seeing Jesus is often equated with seeing God. Jesus states in [John 14:9](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/JHN.14.9), "Whoever has seen me has seen the Father", and in other passages like [John 6:57](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/JHN.6.57), "As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me." These are parallel instances in the Old Testament where seeing the Angel of the Lord was akin to seeing God. - **Divine Authority**: - Just as the Angel of the Lord speaks with God's authority, Jesus speaks and acts with divine authority. He forgives sins ([Mark 2:5-11](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/MRK.2.5-11)), commands nature ([Mark 4:39](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/MRK.4.39)), and makes promises ([John 14:3](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/JHN.14.3)), often speaking in the first person as God, demonstrating His equality with God the Father. - **Redeemer of Israel and Mankind**: - As the Angel of the Lord is called Jacob's and Israel's redeemer, Jesus is called our Redeemer, who delivers humanity from sin and death. In [Galatians 3:13-14](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/GAL.3.13-14), Paul describes Christ as redeeming us from the curse of the law, a role that resonates with the Angel’s redemptive actions in the Old Testament. - **Acceptance of Worship**:\ - Similar to the Angel of the Lord, Jesus receives worship throughout the Gospels and New Testament writings, with individuals bowing before Him in reverence as seen in [Matthew 2:2](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/MAT.2.2),[11](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/MAT.2.11); [14:33](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/MAT.14.33)[28:9](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/MAT.28.9) [28:17](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/MAT.28.17), and other passages. After His resurrection, Thomas declares to Jesus, "My Lord and my God!" ([John 20:28](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/JHN.20.28)), and Jesus accepts this worship. This act of worship, confirmed as divine in nature by [Hebrews 1:6](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/HEB.1.6), aligns with the worship due to God alone, as echoed in [Philippians 2:10-11](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/PHP.2.10-11), referencing the prophecy in [Isaiah 45:23](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.45.23). The divine authority and role of Jesus are further affirmed in [Daniel 7:14](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/DAN.7.14) and [Revelation 22:1-3](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/REV.22.1-3), where He is depicted as the recipient of religious or sacred service, a form of worship reserved for deity. - **Embodiment of God's Acts, Power, and Glory**: - Just as the Angel of the Lord performs acts attributed to God, Jesus performs miracles, heals the sick, and ultimately conquers death itself, all actions that manifest God’s power and glory through His earthly ministry. - **Commander of Heaven's Armies**: - While the Angel of the Lord leads heavenly armies, Jesus is described in [Revelation 19:11-16](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/REV.19.11-16) as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, leading the armies of heaven, fulfilling the militant role previously seen in the Angel’s encounters. - **Source of Righteousness**: - As the Angel of the Lord clothes Joshua the high priest in righteousness, Jesus provides righteousness to all who believe in Him. [2 Corinthians 5:21](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/2CO.5.21) explains that God made Jesus, who knew no sin, to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. - **Wonderful Name**: - The Angel’s name is described as "wonderful," a characteristic shared by Jesus, whose name is called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, and Everlasting Father in [Isaiah 9:6](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.9.6), accentuating the divine significance and power inherent in His name. - **The Fulfillment of Yahweh’s Role**: - In the New Testament, Jesus is repeatedly identified with Yahweh. He applies Old Testament descriptions of Yahweh to Himself ([John 8:58](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/JHN.8.58)), referencing [Exodus 3:14](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/EXO.3.14)) and claims to fulfill the role and identity of the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses through His life, Crucifixion, and Resurrection. - **Divine Presence among People**: - As the Angel of the Lord signifies God's presence among His people, Jesus embodies God's presence in an unprecedented way. In [Matthew 1:23](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/MAT.1.23), He is called "Immanuel," which means "God with us," directly indicating that Jesus is God's presence incarnate among humanity. Through these parallels, we can argue that Jesus in the New Testament shares all the significant attributes and roles of the Angel of the Lord from the Old Testament, fulfilling and embodying the divine presence and mission in a more profound and salvific manner. This continuity suggests that Jesus is the ultimate revelation and personification of God's presence and activity in the world, as first revealed through the Angel of the Lord. When we examine the various biblical narratives together, it becomes clear that the Angel of the Lord aligns with the pre-incarnate Christ. | Attribute | Jesus | The Angel | | --------------------------------------- | ----- | --------- | | **Seeing is to see God himself** | X | X | | **Divine Authority** | X | X | | **The redeemer of Israel** | X | X | | **Acceptance of Worship**: | X | X | | **Shares God's acts, power, and glory** | X | X | | **Commander of Heaven's Armies** | X | X | | **Source of Righteousness** | X | X | | **Wonderful Name** | X | X | | **Divine Presence among People** | X | X | ## The New Testament Shows Us That Jesus Is The Angel Of The Lord > [!Todo]- **Jesus is the Messenger from God** > ![[Jesus Is The Messenger From God]] > [!Todo]- **Jesus is the Word of God** > ![[Jesus Is The Word Of God]] > [!success] **Revelations Reveals Jesus Is The Word And Angel Of The Lord** > ![[Revelations Reveals Jesus Is The Word And Angel Of The Lord]] This interpretation aligns with Apostle John’s portrayal of Christ as "the Word" of God in [John 1:1](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/JHN.1.1). Furthermore, John articulates in his gospel that "No one has ever seen God; the only Son, who is at the Father's side, he has made Him known" ([John 1:18](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/JHN.1.18)). Similarly, [Hebrews 1:3](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/HEB.1.3) emphasizes, "The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact imprint of His nature." Christ positions Himself as God's representative on Earth, unveiling the divine nature to humanity ([Matthew 11:27](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/MAT.11.27)). Essentially, Jesus embodies and conveys the very essence of God, as He himself confirms in [John 14:8-10](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/JHN.14.8-10), illustrating through His life and actions the character and works of God.