While we know that Christ is not a created being and therefore not an angel in the sense of being one of that group of beings in form, He certainly was a messenger which is what the word translated as angel in English means. There are several times The Angel of the Lord is mentioned in the OT and in some of them it is extremely difficult to see it being just any old angel. When we think of what the Hebrew writer says about how God spoke through the prophets, but has now spoken through Jesus, we can see Jesus in the role of being a messenger like the angels were.
One of the clearest examples of the Angel of the Lord being the second person in the Godhead is Judges 2:1-3 which says: Now the angel of the LORD went up from Gilgal to Bochim. And he said, “I brought you up from Egypt and brought you into the land that I swore to give to your fathers. I said, ‘I will never break my covenant with you, 2 and you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall break down their altars.’ But you have not obeyed my voice. What is this you have done? 3 So now I say, I will not drive them out before you, but they shall become thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare to you.” As you read what this “angel” is saying it is clear that he takes credit for bringing them out of Egypt, swearing to their ancestors to give Canaan to them, made a covenant, and curses them because they did not obey him. That sounds like God speaking, not an angel.
Jesus before he was Jesus surely came in contact with his people and spoke to them giving them promises and commands. He was the Angel of the Lord to them, but he is still the angel messenger who brought us the new law and new promises and commandments. Are you listening to the message he brought? Are you looking forward to the promises? Are you obeying the commands?
jp
One of the clearest examples of the Angel of the Lord being the second person in the Godhead is Judges 2:1-3 which says: Now the angel of the LORD went up from Gilgal to Bochim. And he said, “I brought you up from Egypt and brought you into the land that I swore to give to your fathers. I said, ‘I will never break my covenant with you, 2 and you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall break down their altars.’ But you have not obeyed my voice. What is this you have done? 3 So now I say, I will not drive them out before you, but they shall become thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare to you.” As you read what this “angel” is saying it is clear that he takes credit for bringing them out of Egypt, swearing to their ancestors to give Canaan to them, made a covenant, and curses them because they did not obey him. That sounds like God speaking, not an angel.
Jesus before he was Jesus surely came in contact with his people and spoke to them giving them promises and commands. He was the Angel of the Lord to them, but he is still the angel messenger who brought us the new law and new promises and commandments. Are you listening to the message he brought? Are you looking forward to the promises? Are you obeying the commands?
jp
RSS Feed