Who is the angel of the Lord?

The angel of the Lord is a mysterious figure found in several passages throughout the Old Testament. He is sent by God to deliver messages, execute judgement, offer guidance, or intervene on behalf of God’s people. There is much debate among biblical scholars about the identity of this angel. Some believe he is simply an angel carrying out God’s will, while others argue he is a Christophany – a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ. Let’s explore what the Bible tells us about this angel and the different theories about his identity.

Appearances of the Angel of the Lord in Scripture

Here are some of the major appearances of the angel of the Lord in the Old Testament:

• The angel of the Lord appears to Hagar, Sarah’s maidservant, after she fled from Sarah’s harsh treatment (Genesis 16:7-14). He promises that God will multiply Hagar’s descendants through her son Ishmael.
• The angel of the Lord prevents Abraham from sacrificing his son Isaac, providing a ram to sacrifice instead (Genesis 22:11-18).
• The angel of the Lord appears to Moses in the burning bush, identifying himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Exodus 3:2-6). He commissions Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt.
• The angel of the Lord leads the Israelites as a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night after they flee Egypt (Exodus 14:19).
• The angel of the Lord confronts Balaam and warns him not to curse the Israelites on behalf of Balak, king of Moab (Numbers 22:22-35).
• The angel of the Lord commands Gideon to deliver Israel from the Midianites and gives him signs that God is with him (Judges 6).
• The angel of the Lord appears to Samson’s parents and promises them a son who will begin to deliver Israel from the Philistines (Judges 13).
• The angel of the Lord strikes down 185,000 men in the Assyrian camp after Hezekiah prays for deliverance from Sennacherib’s siege (2 Kings 19:35; Isaiah 37:36).
• The angel of the Lord stands against Satan’s accusations of Joshua the high priest in Zechariah’s vision (Zechariah 3:1-7).

In many of these appearances, the angel speaks with divine authority, makes promises on God’s behalf, and claims to be God himself. This has led many to conclude that the angel of the Lord is in fact God in angelic form.

Theories on the Identity of the Angel of the Lord

There are three main theories on who this mysterious angel is:

1. A Created Angel – He is simply an angel, albeit a high-ranking one, carrying out God’s will. Those who hold this view point to verses like Exodus 23:20-23 where God sends an angel to lead Israel, making a distinction between God and the angel.
2. A Christophany – The angel is the pre-incarnate Christ, appearing in angelic form to carry out the will of God. Supporters of this view emphasize verses where the angel claims divinity, makes statements only God can, and is worshipped without rebuke (Judges 6:11-24).
3. God Himself – A third perspective is that the angel of the Lord is God himself, appearing in angelic form. They point out that God often appeared to people using angels in Scripture. Verses like Genesis 22:11-12 show the terms can be used interchangeably.

Each view has strengths and weaknesses, which is why scholars differ. But there does seem strong evidence to suggest the angel is more than just a regular angel. His words and actions consistently point to divinity.

Clues the Angel of the Lord is Divine

Here are some details about the angel that suggest he is more than a created angel:

1. He is called God/Lord – In some passages, the angel is referred to as God or the Lord (Genesis 16:13; Exodus 3:4).
2. He speaks with divine authority – When the angel speaks, Scripture notes it is the word of God coming through him (2 Kings 1:16; Zechariah 3:6).
3. He is identified with God – The angel says that he holds the name of God himself (Exodus 23:20-21) and explicitly claims to be the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Exodus 3:6).
4. He performs miracles – In some scenes, like Exodus 14:19, the angel performs supernatural works only God can do.
5. He forgives sin – When Joshua stands filthy before the angel in Zechariah’s vision, the angel declares God has forgiven his sin and changes his clothes (Zechariah 3:4).
6. He is worshipped – In some cases, the angel accepts prayer and sacrifice (Judges 6:20-22; 13:16, 19-20). This hints at divinity since only God deserves worship.
7. He is called the Redeemer – God promises to send the angel ahead of Israel, and that this angel would guard and redeem them (Exodus 23:20, Isaiah 63:9). But elsewhere Scripture says God alone is redeemer (Psalm 19:14).

These clues strongly indicate that “angel of the Lord” is more than just a phrase describing a regular angel. This angel is a divine being.

How the Angel of the Lord Relates to God

The angel is not the same person as God the Father, but seems to be God in a different form. Here are two ways scholars describe their relationship:

1. Sent by God – God dispatched the angel to carry out specific purposes on earth (Genesis 16:7; Exodus 23:20). He speaks for and represents God, but they are distinct persons. Yet because God sent him, to disobey him is to disobey God.
2. God’s visible presence – The angel is a physical manifestation of God Himself to make Him tangible to humans. So while God remains in heaven, the angel embodies His presence on earth to speak and interact with people directly.

Either perspective explains the texts where God and the angel are distinguished, yet the angel also claims divinity and receives worship due to his role as God’s manifestation.

Arguments the Angel of the Lord is the Pre-incarnate Christ

Many scholars point to the following evidence that the angel of the Lord is actually the Son of God appearing in temporary physical form before His permanent incarnation:

1. Parallels Jesus’ role – What the angel does in the Old Testament – revelation, redemption, intercession – Jesus later does in a greater way in the New Testament.
2. Bearer of God’s name – The angel has God’s divine name and presence with him (Exodus 23:20-21), just as Jesus does (John 17:11-12).
3. Mediator between God and man – The angel interacted between God and humans, much as Christ does as our mediator today (1 Timothy 2:5).
4. Appearances cease after incarnation – After Christ’s birth, appearances of and references to the angel suddenly stop. This suggests the work of revealing God is now done permanently in Jesus.
5. Later Jews understood the angel as divine – Later rabbis recognized the angel as divine, teaching he had God’s name in him and was God’s visible image.

In addition, church fathers like Justin Martyr, Tertullian, Augustine and many other early writers regarded the angel of the Lord as the pre-incarnate Christ. This view fits well with Christ’s divinity andredemptive work.

Explanation of Key Passages on the Angel of the Lord

Looking closer at a few important passages gives more insight into the role and identity of this angel:

1. Genesis 16:7-14 – The Angel and Hagar

After Sarai mistreats her, Hagar flees into the wilderness where the angel of the Lord appears and commands her to return and submit to Sarai. He then promises her that God will multiply her descendants through her son Ishmael. When Hagar recognizes the angel as God seeing and caring for her, she calls him “You are the God who sees me” (Genesis 16:13).

Key points:

• The angel comes as God’s means of intervention, speaking authoritatively for God.
• By naming the angel “God who sees me,” Hagar identifies him as God.
• God personally cares for Hagar through appearance of the angel.

2. Exodus 3:2-6 – The Burning Bush

When Moses encounters the burning bush, the angel of the Lord speaks to him from the bush identifying Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He commissions Moses to lead Israel out of Egypt.

Key points:

• The angel is clearly identified as the eternal God of the patriarchs.
• He commands Moses just as God Himself commands.
• Yet the Lord/angel distinction appears in verse 2, hinting at separate persons.

3. Judges 6:11-24 – The Angel Appears to Gideon

The angel comes to Gideon and commissions him to deliver Israel from the Midianites. When Gideon realizes he has seen the angel of the Lord face to face, he fears death, but the angel promises him peace and miraculously burns up Gideon’s offering.

Key points:

• The angel exercises divine prerogative in selecting and commissioning Gideon.
• Gideon knows the holiness of God means death for humans who see Him face to face.
• Yet the angel personally reassures Gideon of God’s peace and favor.

4. Isaiah 63:9 – The Savior and Redeemer

The prophet praises God for deliverance, acknowledging that “the angel of his presence saved them.” He affirms it was God Himself who redeemed them.

Key points:

• The verse directly parallels God and the angel as Savior and Redeemer.
• It moves fluidly between the two without distinction.
• The angel of God’s presence is God’s visible form to save.

These passages give more evidence for the angel as God’s manifestation. He powerfully intervenes to accomplish God’s will on earth.

Objections to the Angel of the Lord as Christ

Some raise objections to the idea that the angel of the Lord is Christ before His incarnation. Here are some common ones:

1. No definitive statement of identity – Nowhere does Scripture come out and overtly equate the angel of the Lord as Christ. It’s an assumption read into the text.
2. Other figures Christophanies also? – If the angel is a Christophany based on criteria used, then others like the Commander of the Lord’s army (Joshua 5:13-15) must also be.
3. Can’t have it both ways – Saying the angel is distinct from yet the same as God creates a paradox more than the text requires.
4. Angel may just be God manifest – God can manifest Himself as an angel without it being specifically the Second Person of the Trinity.

These criticisms do hold some valid weight as the Bible does not make an air-tight case on the identity issue. There is room for interpretation.

Synthesis and Conclusion

While the angel of the Lord remains somewhat mysterious, key insights emerge about his identity and purpose:

• The angel is more than a regular created angel – he has the very authority, attributes and honor of God Himself.
• He often represents God physically and visually when God wants to interact directly with people.
• The angel foreshadows in many ways the saving work of Jesus – guidance, redemption, advocacy.
• Whether the angel is just a manifestation of God or God the Son specifically, Scripture presents him as God present among men.
• In the end, the angel points people to wonder at a God who intervenes, speaks and saves those who need Him.

The angel remains mysterious in many ways. But clearly God was self-revealing Himself long before Bethlehem through this divine messenger. The God who would take on human flesh in Christ had long been moving among and caring for His people through this angelic form in the Old Testament.