THE ANGEL OF THE LORD PART 10 OF 11

INTRODUCTION

Tonight as we continue with our study on the topic of angels I would like us to consider what the Bible says about the Angel of The Lord.

Bible scholars have differing opinions concerning who the angel of the Lord might be.

Some think that he is an ordinary angel, while others identify him with God Himself.

While the angel of the Lord seems to be more than simply an ordinary angel because of the things he does, neither does he appear to be God Himself for the same reason.

I believe that the angel of the Lord is Jesus Christ who appeared in physical form before His incarnation or birth.

This means that the angel of the Lord is a theophany.

The word theophany is a theological term used to refer to any physical manifestation of God.

For instance, the appearance of the dove at the baptism of Jesus is a theophany because it was a physical manifestation of the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 3:16, "And after being baptized, Jesus went up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon Him,"

Another example of a theophany would be the voice of God that was heard when Jesus appeared before Peter, James and John in His glory on the mount of Transfiguration.

Matthew 17:5, "While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and behold, a voice out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!"

John 12:28-29, "Father, glorify Thy name."  There came therefore a voice out of heaven: "I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again." [29] The multitude therefore, who stood by and heard it, were saying that it had thundered; others were saying, "An angel has spoken to Him."

The theophany of the angel of the Lord is the most common physical manifestation of Jesus before His incarnation and appears over fifty times in the Bible.

Tonight I would like us to look at the identity of the angel of the Lord as well as his ministry.