The interpretation of Jesus Christ as the Angel of the Lord who led and protected Israel in the wilderness offers a rich and often overlooked perspective within Judeo-Christian theology. This view merges scriptural narrative with theological insight, suggesting that the pre-incarnate Christ was not merely anticipated in prophecy but was already active in the redemptive story of Israel. Far from being a later addition, this portrayal emphasizes the eternal nature of the Son and deepens the continuity between the Testaments.
The Angel of the Lord in the Old Testament
The figure of the Angel of the Lord appears throughout the Hebrew Scriptures in scenes of divine encounter and deliverance. This being is not merely a messenger, but one who speaks with the voice and authority of God, receives worship, and performs actions reserved for the divine. When Hagar flees into the wilderness in Genesis, it is the Angel of the Lord who finds her, comforts her, and promises to multiply her descendants, something only God has the right to declare. In the binding of Isaac, it is the Angel who calls out from heaven and stops Abraham, affirming the covenant promises on behalf of Yahweh. At the burning bush, Moses encounters the Angel within the flames, but as the conversation unfolds, it is the voice of God that speaks, declaring, “I am who I am.”
These moments are not isolated. In the book of Judges, both Gideon and the parents of Samson encounter the Angel of the Lord, who again speaks as God and accepts worship. The language in these passages consistently blurs the line between divine messenger and divine presence, leading many Christian theologians to see in these encounters a pre-incarnate manifestation of the Son, the Second Person of the Trinity acting directly in the affairs of humanity.
Not a Created Angel, but the Visible Yahweh
One of the most critical clarifications in this interpretation is that Jesus is not an angel by nature, but rather takes on the function or office of a messenger. In both Hebrew (mal’ak) and Greek (angelos), the word “angel” means “messenger.” It refers to a role or job, not a species. While some groups have claimed that Jesus was once a created angel who was later exalted (such as in Arianism or Jehovah’s Witnesses theology), orthodox Christianity has consistently rejected this view.
The Angel of the Lord is no mere subordinate being. He speaks as God, acts with God’s authority, and is worshiped as God. These are not qualities or privileges that would ever be afforded to a created angel in a biblical framework. The figure who bears the title “Angel of the Lord” is best understood not as a creature, but as the visible manifestation of Yahweh Himself, often described as the second Yahweh figure in Trinitarian terms. In this view, Jesus is not an angel promoted to divinity, but the eternal Son taking on the role of divine messenger.
Jesus as the Angel of the Lord
The New Testament offers interpretive clues that support the identification of Jesus with the Angel of the Lord. The idea, known as a Christophany, sees these Old Testament appearances as manifestations of Christ before His incarnation. This perspective is not based on speculation alone but is supported by passages that retroactively identify Christ with key roles in the wilderness journey. For example, the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 10 makes a startling claim that the Israelites in the wilderness drank from a spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ. This draws a direct connection between the guiding presence in the wilderness and the person of Jesus.
Further support comes from Isaiah 63, which describes how the “angel of His presence” saved Israel and bore them in love and pity. This passage, when read alongside Exodus 23 where God says He will send an angel ahead of Israel and warns that “my name is in him,” provides a strong foundation for seeing this angel as more than a created being.
The Angel Who Bears the Name: Name Theology in Exodus 23
Exodus 23:20–21 is a pivotal passage for this interpretation. Yahweh tells Moses,
“Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared. Pay careful attention to him and obey his voice. Do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgression, for my name is in him.”
The phrase “my name is in him” is not merely symbolic. In ancient Israelite theology, the Name of Yahweh represented His very presence, authority, and identity. To bear the Name was not simply to act on God’s behalf but to embody His power and character. This concept is reinforced in places like Deuteronomy 12, where God says He will cause His name to dwell in the temple, meaning His very presence would be there.
If the Angel bears Yahweh’s Name, then he carries Yahweh’s own identity. He speaks for Yahweh not by delegation alone, but because he shares in Yahweh’s very essence. In this context, the Angel is more than a servant — He is the divine presence itself, dwelling among the people in visible, tangible form. This aligns with the New Testament presentation of Jesus as the one who makes the Father known and who bears the divine name above every name.
Theological Implications
Seeing Jesus as the Angel of the Lord enhances our understanding of His eternal nature and personal involvement in the covenant story. Rather than appearing only in the New Testament, Jesus is portrayed as the same divine person who had always been present with God’s people. This vision affirms the unity of Scripture and the unchanging character of God. It also supports the doctrine of the Trinity, demonstrating how the Son was active long before His birth in Bethlehem, fulfilling a role that only God could fulfill.
This interpretation strengthens the continuity between the Old and New Testaments by showing that the redemptive plan was not a sudden shift but a consistent unfolding of divine action. It emphasizes that the incarnation was not the beginning of Jesus’ work but the culmination of a divine presence that had always been intimately involved in the lives of God’s people. It also highlights the depth of His love and commitment, as He was already protecting, guiding, and interceding for Israel before taking on flesh.
Conclusion
Identifying the Angel of the Lord as Jesus before His incarnation offers a profound insight into both the nature of Christ and the unity of the biblical story. It presents Jesus not only as the promised Messiah of the New Testament but also as the active divine presence who walked alongside Israel in the wilderness.
He is not a created angel but the eternal Word who reveals the Father and bears His Name. This perspective enriches the Christian understanding of God’s involvement in human history and reveals the Son as the guide, protector, and redeemer of His people. Though some scholars may hesitate to draw this connection explicitly, the evidence from both Testaments points toward a consistent divine presence, one that was never absent, never distant, and always working to lead His people home.
Discussion Questions
- How does identifying the Angel of the Lord as Jesus influence the way we read the Old Testament?
- What similarities do you see between the Angel’s role in the wilderness and Jesus’ ministry on earth?
- Why might some Christians resist the idea of Jesus appearing in the Old Testament, and how can that tension be addressed?
- How does the portrayal of Jesus as a wilderness guide and protector impact our understanding of His relationship with the Church today?
- What role does this interpretation play in strengthening the doctrine of the Trinity?
Want to Know More?
- Michael S. Heiser. The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible. Lexham Press, 2015.
Examines the biblical evidence for the “second Yahweh” figure and the Angel of the Lord as visible manifestations of God, offering a coherent framework for understanding divine plurality and Christophanies. - Darrell L. Bock and Benjamin I. Simpson. Jesus the God-Man: The Unity and Diversity of the Gospels. Baker Academic, 2016.
Explores how Jesus’ divine identity in the New Testament draws on Old Testament theophanies and Christophanies, including the Angel of the Lord and other manifestations of divine presence. - Richard Bauckham. Jesus and the God of Israel: God Crucified and Other Studies on the New Testament’s Christology of Divine Identity. Eerdmans, 2008.
Argues that Jesus shares in the unique divine identity of Israel’s God, reinforcing the claim that He appears in the Old Testament as the visible Yahweh. - Carmen Joy Imes. Being God’s Image: Why Creation Still Matters. IVP Academic, 2023.
Builds on the theology of divine representation and covenantal identity, showing how God’s name-bearing presence operates through His chosen agents and ultimately through the incarnate Son. - Daniel Boyarin. The Jewish Gospels: The Story of the Jewish Christ. New Press, 2012.
Presents evidence that belief in a divine Messiah and a “second power” figure was widespread in Second Temple Judaism, offering historical support for the Christian identification of Jesus as the Angel of the Lord.
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