Who is the Angel of the Lord? Finding Jesus in the Old Testament

The Mystery of the Visible God

In our daily meditations, we reflect on instances in the Old Testament in which God visits Earth as a man. Sometimes called the Angel of the Lord, this figure is unmistakably YHVH (translated as LORD) in the flesh.

Hagar and "The God Who Sees Me"

For example, God protected the birth of Ishmael, who would become the ancestor of the Arab people. When Hagar, Ishmael's mother by Abraham, fled from Sarah, she was safeguarded and cared for by the Angel of YHVH.

The angel of the LORD found Hagar near a spring in the desert; it was the spring that is beside the road to Shur (Genesis 16:7).

This angel is called the Angel of YHVH in verses 9, 10, and 11 of chapter 16, but in verse 13, the same angel is referred to as YHVH, the name of the God of Israel.

Then she called the name of YHVH, who spoke to her, "You are the God who sees me." (Genesis: 16:13).

Abraham and the Ultimate Sacrifice

Years later, the Angel of YHVH grasped Abraham's arm just as he was about to sacrifice Isaac. He spoke to Abraham in the first person, as if He were God:

¹⁰Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. ¹¹But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." ¹²He said, "Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me" (Genesis 22:10-12; emphasis added).

Why the "Angel" Spoke as God

Did you miss it? This Angel, the One in the form of a man, spoke as if He were God. Again, further in the conversation between Abraham and the Angel of the Lord, the Scriptures tell us:

¹⁵Then the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven, ¹⁶and said, "By Myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son (Genesis 22:15-16; emphasis added).

From the Old Testament Visitation to the New Testament Incarnation

In the Old Testament, God appeared on Earth as a man; this was the same One born into humanity to serve as the sacrificial Lamb, a holy offering for sin. God came to humanity as a Man to remove and cleanse every person who accepts His substitutionary, sacrificial offering as their own. “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14).

Just as the Angel found Hagar in her desperation near a desert spring, God is not distant from your "desert" moments. He is "The God Who Sees Me." Today, take five minutes to sit in silence and simply acknowledge that He is present with you right now. The same God who stayed Abraham's hand is the same God who gave His own Son for you. When you feel overwhelmed, remind yourself: "The God of the universe has always been willing to come down to my level to rescue me." Keith Thomas

Continue Your Journey…

If you found this meditation meaningful, maybe you’d like to explore: How Do I Become a Christian?, or what Jesus said about: “You Must Be Born Again,” or even: How Can I Be Sure of My Faith?

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