1 Then The Angel Of The Lord example essay topic

... 1: 13); Malachi says that people should seek the law from the mouth of a priest, who is a 'messenger (mal " ak) of the LORD' (Mal. 2: 7). Let's look at a couple of key verses in the story of the Israelites' escape from Egypt: EXODUS 13: 21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. (NKJV) EXODUS 14: 19 And the Angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud went from before them and stood behind them. (NKJV) In these verses we see the one who shepherded the Israelites out of Egypt identified.

In Exodus 13: 21 he is called YHVH. However, in Exodus 14: 19, the being in the cloud going before the Israelites is called the 'Angel of God' (Heb. mal " ak ha " elohim). How do we explain this apparent discrepancy? Are these two separate entities, or are they one and the same? Evidence from several sources indicates that the being called YHVH in Exodus 13: 21 is the same entity referred to as the 'Angel of God' in Exodus 14: 19. The burning bush encounter wasn't the only occasion on which the Angel of the LORD talked to Moses on behalf of the Most High, God the Father.

In Acts 7: 38, Stephen states that it was this Angel who spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai after the Israelites initial arrival there, and later on Sivan 6 when the Ten Commandments were delivered to all the people. The Jerusalem Targum plainly identifies who this Angel was: EXODUS 19: 3 And Moses went up to God [ha " elohim], and the LORD [YHVH] called to him from the mountain, saying, 'Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: (NKJV) EXODUS 19: 3 And Mosheh went up to seek instruction from before the Lord; and the Word of the Lord anticipated him from the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou speak to the men of the house of Jakob, and teach the congregation of the sons of Israel. (Jerusalem Targum, translated by J.W. Etheridge) EXODUS 19: 7 So Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before them all these words which the LORD [YHVH] commanded him. 8 Then all the people answered together and said, 'All that the LORD [YHVH] has spoken we will do. ' So Moses brought back the words of the people to the LORD [YHVH]. 9 And the LORD [YHVH] said to Moses, 'Behold, I come to you in the thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and believe you forever.

' So Moses told the words of the people to the LORD [YHVH]. (NKJV) EXODUS 19: 7 And Mosheh came and called the sages of Israel and set in order before them all these words which the Word of the Lord had commanded him. 8 And all the people answered together in the fulness of their heart, and said, All that the Word of the Lord hath spoken, we will do. And Mosheh returned the words of the people in prayer before the Lord.

9 And the Word of the Lord said to Mosheh, Behold, My Word will be revealed to thee in the thickness of the cloud, that the people may hear while I speak with thee, and may also believe for ever in the words of the prophecy of thee, My servant Mosheh. And Mosheh delivered the words of the people in prayer before the Lord. (Jerusalem Targum, translated by J.W. Etheridge) EXODUS 19: 20 Then the LORD [YHVH] came down upon Mount Sinai, on the top of the mountain. And the LORD [YHVH] called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.

21 And the LORD [YHVH] said to Moses, 'Go down and warn the people, lest they break through to gaze at the LORD, and many of them perish. ' (NKJV) EXODUS 20: 1 And God ['elohim] spoke all these words, saying: (NKJV) We see here that the entity referred to as 'the Angel' by Stephen is the same one called YHVH and 'elohim in these verses from Exodus. This proves that the terms 'LORD' and 'Angel of the LORD' were used interchangeably for the same being in the Bible. The Jerusalem Targum rendering of Exodus 20: 1 confirms that the 'elohim who spoke to Israel from Mount Sinai was the Word of the Lord, not God the Father: EXODUS 20: 1 And the Word of the Lord spake all the excellency of these words saying: (Jerusalem Targum, translated by J.W. Etheridge) Exodus 23: 20-23 confirms that the Angel who spoke to the Israelites from Mount Sinai was in the wilderness with Moses and the congregation of Israel during their wandering.

This passage shows that the Angel's duties included keeping the Israelites in God's ways and bringing them into the Promised Land. EXODUS 23: 20 ' Behold, I send an Angel before you to keep you in the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared. 21 Beware of Him and obey His voice; do not provoke Him, for He will not pardon your transgressions; for My name is in Him. 22 But if you indeed obey His voice and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries. 23 For My Angel will go before you and bring you in to the Amorites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Canaanites and the Hiv ites and the Jebusites; and I will cut them off.

(NKJV) This Angel was a messenger delivering God the Father's words to Moses and the children of Israel, and God's name ('YHVH') was upon him. Because of this role, at times he referred to himself in the third person when relaying God's words. Without an understanding and awareness of his role, things can get a little confusing when reading the statements and activities of this Angel. In fact, the Scriptures even show Moses himself becoming confused in one instance. EXODUS 33: 1 Then the LORD said to Moses, 'Depart and go up from here, you and the people whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, 'To your descendants I will give it.

' 2 And I will send My Angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanite and the Amorites and the Hittite and the Perizzite and the Hi vite and the Jebusite. 3 Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; for I will not go up in your midst, lest I consume you on the way, for you are a stiff-necked people. ' (NKJV) God the Father, through His messenger the Angel, tells Moses that He will not accompany them into the Promised Land. The Angel so translucently communicates God's remarks to Moses that it appears as if he is talking to Moses himself, instead of God the Father speaking through him. This situation seems to confuse Moses, because he goes on to say that the Angel had not let him know whom he would send with him to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land (Exo. 33: 12).

He obviously didn't recognize that the Angel was speaking for the Most High God in verse 3 and not for himself. Moses apparently thought that the Angel of the LORD, who had accompanied them to this point, would be replaced by another angel. God, through the Angel, reassures Moses that His 'Presence' would continue to accompany them. EXODUS 33: 14 And He said, 'My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest. ' 15 Then he said to Him, 'If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here. ' (NKJV) The Angel of the LORD is the one referred to here as the 'Presence' of YHVH.

Moses proclaims this to the people of Israel in Deuteronomy 4: 37, and the Angel of the LORD is called the 'Angel of His Presence' in Isaiah 63: 9. DEUTERONOMY 4: 37 [Moses said] 'Because he loved your forefathers and chose their descendants after them, he brought you out of Egypt by his Presence and his great strength,' (NIV) ISAIAH 63: 9 In all their [the Israelites'] affliction He was afflicted, and the Angel of His Presence saved them; in His love and in His pity He redeemed them; and He bore them and carried them all the days of old. (NKJV) The Angel of the LORD was also called the Angel of God's Presence because he possessed the nature, character, and authority of God the Father. This concept has numerous parallels to Christ in the New Testament. II CORINTHIANS 4: 4...

Christ, who is the image of God... (NKJV) COLOSSIANS 1: 15 [Christ]... is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: (KJV) HEBREWS 1: 3 [Christ]... being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power... (NKJV) In I Corinthians 10: 9 Paul once more identifies YHVH who accompanied the Israelites in their desert sojourn as Christ. The incident he mentions here (recorded in Numbers 21: 5-6) occurred while the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness for 40 years. I CORINTHIANS 10: 9 Nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted [Christ], and were destroyed by serpents; (NKJV) NUMBERS 21: 5 And the people spoke against God ['elohim] and against Moses: 'Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread.

' 6 So the LORD [YHVH] sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died. (NKJV) A comparison of the two Scriptures above makes it clear that Christ, 'God' ('elohim) and 'the LORD' (YHVH) mentioned in Numbers 21: 5-6 are all the same entity. Judges 2: 1 confirms that it was the Angel of the LORD who led the Israelites out of Egypt and into the Promised Land: JUDGES 2: 1 Then the Angel of the LORD [mal " ak YHVH] came up from Gilgai to Boc him, and said: 'I led you up from Egypt and brought you to the land of which I swore to your fathers; and I said, 'I will never break My covenant with you. ' ' (NKJV) Just as the Angel of the LORD was God's messenger to the people of Israel, Christ was also a 'messenger' of God the Father in the New Testament. Regarding his role, Yeshua said 'I have not spoken on my own authority; the Father who sent me has told me what to say and what to speak' (John 12: 49). Another pair of Scriptures further identifies the Angel of the LORD as the Messiah.

Recorded in Judges 13 is the story of Samson's parents being notified of his impending birth by the Angel of the LORD. Manoah, Samson's father, did not realize that the one who foretold the birth of his son was the Angel (Judges 13: 16). He asked the Angel of the LORD what his name was, so that they might honor him when his prophecy came true. The Angel's answer is very revealing, if understood correctly. JUDGES 13: 18 And the Angel of Jehovah said to him, Why do you ask this about My name? Yea, it is Wonderful.

(A Literal Translation of the Bible) The Angel of YHVH answered Manoah by saying that his name was 'Wonderful. ' When we compare the Angel's answer to the prophecy of the coming Messiah recorded in Isaiah 9: 6, the similarities are striking. ISAIAH 9: 6 For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (NKJV) The name the Angel gave Manoah is one of the names prophesied to be applied to Yeshua the Messiah.

By itself, this could simply be discounted as a coincidence. However, when considered with the weight of the other evidence we " ve examined, it's clear that the Angel of the LORD is the one who became Christ. In the first century C.E., the Greek translation of the Old Testament known as the Septuagint (LXX) was widely used by Greek-speaking Jews. In the LXX, this same verse is rendered somewhat differently. ISAIAH 9: 6 For a child is born to us, and a son is given to us, whose government is upon his shoulder: and his name is called the Messenger of great counsel: for I will bring peace upon the princes, and health to him. (Brenton's LXX) As you can see, the Septuagint calls the coming Messiah the 'Angelos (Angel) of Great Counsel.

' Both the Hebrew and Greek versions of this verse link the coming Messiah to the Angel of the LORD. The evidence is substantial that the Angel of the LORD and Yeshua the Messiah are one and the same! Another appearance of the being we know as Christ is recorded in Joshua 5: 13-15. Here he calls himself the 'Commander of the host of YHVH. ' JOSHUA 5: 13 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, 'Are You for us or for our adversaries?' 14 So He said, 'No, but as Commander of the army [ts eva', 'host'] of the LORD I have now come.

' And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, 'What does my Lord say to His servant?' 15 Then the Commander of the LORD's army said to Joshua, 'Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy. ' And Joshua did so. (NKJV) From Revelation 22: 8-9, we know that worship of angels is forbidden. However, here we see Joshua bowing before and worshiping this Angel. Indeed, just as with the Angel of the LORD in the burning bush on Mount Sinai (Exo. 3: 5), the ground where this Angel stood was considered holy.

Clearly, this is no ordinary spirit being. In their commentary on this passage of Scripture, Jamieson, Fausses, and Brown state: '... The address and the adoration of Joshua, the holiness communicated to the spot by the presence of this Personage, and the application to him of the name Jehovah (ch. vi. 2), identify Him with the Angel of the Lord... ' (p. 13, vol.

I, part 2, A Commentary: Critical, Experimental, and Practical). This Scripture identifies another role the Messiah plays in God's plan: that of the commander of His holy angels. Several New Testament passages show that the Messiah is the commander of the army of God's loyal angels. REVELATION 19: 11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. 12 His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. 13 He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.

14 And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. 15 From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. 16 And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, 'KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. ' (NASU) JUDE 14 It was also about these that Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, saying, 'See, the Lord is coming with ten thousands of his holy ones, 15 to execute judgment on all, and to convict everyone of all the deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him. ' (NRSV) MATTHEW 25: 31 'When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. ' (NKJV) MARK 8: 38 'For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.

' (NASU) The Messiah's position as the commander of the army of holy angels goes hand-in-hand with his role as guardian of the nation of Israel, as we will see. Is there any other character identified in the Bible as the commander of the holy angels and the protector of the nation of Israel? Yes, there most definitely is! DANIEL 12: 1 'At that time Michael, the great prince, the protector of your people [Israel], shall arise.

There shall be a time of anguish, such as has never occurred since nations first came into existence. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book. (NRSV) REVELATION 12: 7 Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon [Satan]; and the dragon and his angels fought, 8 but they were defeated and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. (RSV) Most people believe that Michael is one of several high-ranking 'archangels' that serve God. Yet a look at what the Bible says about this topic shows that this belief is not scripturally substantiated. The term 'archangel' is found only twice in the Bible.

I THESSALONIANS 4: 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. (NASU) JUDE 9 But Michael the archangel [ho ], when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, 'The Lord rebuke you!' (NASU) The word 'archangel' is simply a transliteration into English of the Greek word. This compound word is comprised of the Greek words arc he and. Arche means primacy, either in relation to time or rank; has the same meaning as the Hebrew word ma " law; it refers to a messenger or an envoy. The literal meaning of is 'chief messenger. ' The Bible clearly shows that Christ was God's 'chief messenger' to mankind.

JOHN 8: 26 '... He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him. ' (NKJV) JOHN 12: 49 [Christ said] 'For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. ' (NKJV) As we saw in the Scriptures above, Michael is the only 'archangel's pacifically referenced in the Bible. The belief in multiple 'archangels' is not scriptural. A belief in archangels appears to have developed in early Judaism; a similar belief evolved in the Catholic church.

The concept seems to have been derived from a passage in the book of Daniel. DANIEL 10: 13 'But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one ['ec had] of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia. ' (NKJV) In this verse, Michael is called 'one' of the chief princes. The majority of translations render the Hebrew word 'ec had as 'one' here. Most scholars take this to mean that he is only one of an unspecified group of equivalent rank.

However, 'ec had can also be translated 'first,' as it is in Young's Literal Translation, shown below. DANIEL 10: 13 'And the head of the kingdom of Persia is standing over-against me twenty and one days, and lo, Michael, first ['ec had] of the chief heads, hath come in to help me, and I have remained there near the kings of Persia;' (YLT) When this meaning of 'ec had is applied, Daniel 10: 13 takes on an entirely different context. In Young's translation, Michael's position is shown to be above the other 'princes. ' The Bible reveals that these rulers are actually powerful spirit beings (commonly called 'angels') who have been given authority over the various nations of the earth. In Daniel 10: 21 and 12: 1, Michael is designated as the spiritual prince ruling over the nation of Israel: DANIEL 10: 20 Then he said, 'Do you know why I have come to you? But now I will return to fight against the prince of Persia; and when I am through with him, lo, the prince of Greece will come.

21 But I will tell you what is inscribed in the book of truth: there is none who contends by my side against these except Michael, your prince. (RSV) DANIEL 12: 1 'At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time; but at that time your people shall be delivered, every one whose name shall be found written in the book. (RSV) When all the Scriptures on this topic are objectively examined, we can see that the belief Michael is one of several archangels is not supported. In fact, The Eerdmans Bible Dictionary states this about the Jewish understanding of the identity of Michael in first century Judaism: Michael was sometimes spoken of as the angel who mediated between God and Moses in the giving of the law at Sinai (cf. Job.

1: 27; 2: 1) and so may be the angel mentioned at Acts 7: 38. (p. 716, 'Michael') As we have already seen, the angel mentioned by Stephen in Acts 7: 38 is the Angel of the LORD, who has been identified with Yeshua the Messiah. Additionally, Targum Pseudo-Jonathan says the Angel that wrestled with Jacob was Michael. The first century messianic Jewish understanding of who Yeshua had been before his incarnation was one of the reasons the distinction between the Messiah and the other angels had to be drawn in the first chapter of Hebrews. Rather than denigrating the position of the angels, this chapter was meant instead to elevate the status of Michael (Christ) in order to clarify his role to the messianic Jews of that day. There is another pair of Scriptures, one from the Old Testament and the other from the New Testament, that seem to connect the Angel of the LORD and Michael: ZECHARIAH 3: 1 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to oppose him. 2 And the LORD said to Satan, 'The LORD rebuke you, Satan!

The LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?' (NKJV) JUDE 9 But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, 'The Lord rebuke you!' (NASU) As you can see, in both instances Michael and the Angel of the LORD reacted identically to Satan. Taken with the other Scriptures we " ve examined, this is further evidence that Michael is another name for the Angel. In fact, the name Michael literally means in Hebrew 'one who is like God.

' This name fits perfectly with the Angel of the LORD, who had God's name in him (Exo. 23: 21) and was the 'Presence' of YHVH (Exo. 33: 14; Deu. 4: 37; Isa. 63: 9). It also fits perfectly with Christ, who was the exact image of God (II Cor.

4: 4; Col. 1: 15; Heb. 1: 3). Michael, the one who will 'appear' at the time of trouble at the end of this age, is surely another name for Yeshua the Messiah. The Bible shows it is the Messiah who will return at the end of the age and rule over his people, all the tribes of Israel, after they have been brought back into the Promised Land.

CONCLUSION As we " ve seen from various translations of the Old Testament, the Messiah has had numerous roles in God's plan for mankind. He acted as the guardian of Israel when they came out of Egypt, traveling with them in the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. The Messiah was the one who delivered God's words to the Israelites from Mount Sinai. He protected them in the wilderness and punished them when they sinned. This Angel stood up for God's people when Satan slandered them before the heavenly throne. As the commander of the holy host, Christ has battled against Satan and his demons and triumphed.

It's time to realize and appreciate the central role that God designated in His plan for the one we know as Jesus Christ, Yeshua the Messiah. He's our Savior, Redeemer, Shepherd, Protector, Brother, and Lord.