The Angel of the Lord

The Angel

of the Lord

            In some passages of the Scriptures the term “the angel of the Lord was used.  In some instances when this phrased was used, it appears as if an actual angel was being referred to but in others this “angel of the Lord” appears to have the attributes of God.  Is it possible for an angel to possess some of the major attributes or even power that is only indicative of God?  In Genesis chapter sixteen, Hagar fled from Sarai and the “angel of the Lord” appeared unto her.  Genesis 16:10 states, “And the angel of the LORD said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude.”  The angel’s words indicate that he was going to multiply the seed of Hagar’s to be great in number.  Do angels possess this kind of power?  Not under the pretense of non-fallen angels.  Only God reserves the right in heaven to multiply an individual’s seed on earth to become great in number.

            In Exodus chapter two, the angel of the Lord appeared to Moses in a burning bush.[1]  However, nowhere in the passage does Scripture state that the angel departed from the burning bush.  All Scripture states is that God spoke to Moses and commanded him to take off his shoes after Moses turned to view the bush.  Did the angel of the Lord in this passage depart from the bush prior to God speaking or is the angel of the Lord also God?[2]  It is a possibility that if the angel of the Lord is referred to as God in this passage.  John 1:1 states that “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”  John 1:14 further clarifies, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”  The “word” is none other than Jesus Christ.  Christ is the embodiment of the audible voice of God.[3]  Therefore, if Christ is the word—the audible voice of God—then it is possible that, if the angel of the Lord is referred to in Exodus chapter two, that he is the pre-incarnate Christ.

            The “angel of the Lord” appears in Judges chapter two.  Judges 2:1 states, “And an angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you.”  In this passage, the angel of the Lord both delivered the Israelites out of the suppression of the Egyptians and gave them a land that was promised to their fathers.  Notice, the angel never refers to God as distinct separate individual, but the angel speaks as if he is God.  The angel of the Lord also claimed that the covenant that God made with Abraham and their forefathers was created by him.  These exist as grounds for treason for this “angel of the Lord” if he exists not as God.  God cast Lucifer and his angels to the earth for their act of rebellion yet God never declared judgment upon this “angel of the Lord” for his atrocities of imitating God.  Taking into consideration that the angel of the Lord in this passage experiences no such punishment, this passage apparently contains a Christophany.

            In conclusion, “the angel of the Lord” remains a difficult and deep topic.  However, upon investigation of the Scriptures, “the angel of the Lord” sometimes appears to be a reference to an appearance of an average angel.  Yet, at other times, the term “angel of the Lord” appears to indicate an early appearance of the pre-incarnate Christ, which is also known as a Christophany.

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[1] Exodus 3:2-5 “And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.   3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.  4 And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.  5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.”

[2] Note:  Scripture indicates that Christ resides as the audible voice, also known as the Word, of God.  Therefore, if the angel of the Lord in this passage is God, this would be a Christophany, a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ.

[3] Note: Genesis 3:8 states, “And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.”  Notice that Adam and Eve heard the voice of God walking in Eden.  How does a voice walk unless it is the pre-incarnate Christ?