Jesus - the Angel of the Lord

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. (Exo 3:2)

The Person who appeared to Moses in the burning bush is called "the Angel of the LORD (Jehovah)" This makes it clear that the Person was not Jehovah Himself, but rather His representative. This was none other than Jesus, the Son of God. He, being of the very same nature as the almighty God and having inherited the name of His Father (Hebrews 1:4 ) Could identify Himself as Jehovah. No created being could have taken upon himself such a prerogative without being guilty of the greatest blasphemy.

How do Paul and Isaiah both reinforce the truth that it was not God Himself, but His Representative, Jesus Christ, who dealt with the Israelites in the Old Testament? Isa 63:9; 1 Corinthians 10:1-4

The fact that Jesus is referred to as "the Angel of the Lord" does not mean that He is inferior to God or that the angels are on a level with Him. The word "angel" simply signifies a messenger. Jesus as the Representative of God, the anointed One who carries out His purposes is the Messenger of God. It is He who bears the name of God and whose authority is second only to that of God the Father. " Before the assembled inhabitants of heaven the King declared that none but Christ, the Only Begotten of God, could fully enter into His purposes, and to Him it was committed to execute the mighty counsels of His will. The Son of God had wrought the Father's will in the creation of all the hosts of heaven; and to Him, as well as to God, their homage and allegiance were due. Christ was still to exercise divine power, in the creation of the earth and its inhabitants. But in all this He would not seek power or exaltation for Himself contrary to God's plan, but would exalt the Father's glory and execute His purposes of beneficence and love." _ Patriarchs and Prophets, p.36



How does the prophet Daniel describe the relationship of Christ with regards to God's people? (Dan 12:1)

". . . . They knew that He was before the throne of God, their Friend and Saviour still; that His sympathies were unchanged; that He would forever be identified with suffering humanity. They knew that He was presenting before God the merit of His blood, showing His wounded hands and feet as a remembrance of the price He had paid for His redeemed ones; and this thought strengthened them to endure reproach for His sake. Their union with Him was stronger now than when He was with them in person . . . . " _ Acts of The Apostles, p.65

Key Thought

As God's appointed Representative Jesus has been given all authority and power in heaven and earth. The Son must be honoured equally with the Father.