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The Angel of the LORD
The Angel of the LORD
Who is the angel of the LORD? This article will look into three passages that show the Angel of the LORD is more than just a high ranking angel. Instead, the Bible makes it clear that the Angel of the LORD is a theophany (a visible manifestation of God), or possibly even a christophany (a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ).
(Important note: In our English Bibles, and in this article, “LORD” with all capital letters indicates the use of the Hebrew name of God “YHWH” as opposed to another name for God.)
Genesis 16
“Then the Angel of the LORD said to her, ‘I will multiply your descendants exceedingly’… Then she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees” (Genesis 16:10, 13).
Tonight’s sermon will be all about Hagar and Sarah, so we will dive into more detail then. For now, consider how Hagar refers to the Angel of the LORD. The Angel gives good news about Hagar’s son, so she responds by referring to the being that talked to her as LORD, specifically the God who sees.
Genesis 22
“But the Angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, ‘Abraham, Abraham!’ So he said ‘Here I am’” (Genesis 22:11).
This chapter covers the confusing scene of God asking Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. At first, it appeared that Isaac himself would be the sacrifice God provided, but at the last moment the Angel of the LORD called out to Abraham. Then a second time the Angel of the LORD speaks, “‘By Myself I have sworn, says the LORD, because you have not withheld your son, your only son’” (Genesis 22:16). The Angel of the LORD speaks as if He is God and speaks for God in the same sentence. Jesus speaks in a similar way in John 14:9-10, affirming both His oneness with the Father and His role as the Father’s messenger. If the Angel of the LORD is the pre-incarnate Christ, it is certainly convicting to read about Christ preventing a father from sacrificing his only son 2,000 years before He Himself would be the sacrificial lamb as God’s only Son.
Judges 13
“And the Angel of the LORD appeared to the woman and said to her, ‘Indeed now,
you are barren and have borne no children, but you shall conceive and bear a son’” (Judges 13:3).
The Angel of the LORD appears to Manoah’s wife to tell this good news about their son Samson, but at every encounter Manoah and his wife cannot figure out who this being is. They ask to know His name, but the Angel refuses (Judges 13:18). Finally things become clearer, “the Angel of the LORD ascended in the flame of the altar! When Manoah and his wife saw this, they fell on their faces to the ground… then Manoah knew that He was the Angel of the LORD. And Manoah said to his wife, ‘We shall surely die, because we have seen God!’” (Judges 13:20-22). If the Bible is portraying Samson’s parents as understanding correctly what they have seen, then the Bible is making it clear that the Angel of the LORD is certainly a visible manifestation of God Himself, not just an angel.
Scripture records the Angel of the LORD as more than just a messenger – He speaks as God, acts as God, and is even identified as God. Hagar found comfort in “the God who sees,” Abraham seems to have encountered the ultimate sacrificial Son, and Manoah realized the weight of being in God’s presence. The Angel of the LORD in the Old Testament foreshadows the New Testament coming of the incarnate Christ, reminding us that God is near and actively involved in His people’s lives.
--William Speer
