The Angel of the Lord (Jehovah), The Angel of God (Elohim)

The Angel of Jehovah/God, himself, is God

Genesis 31:11-13, (See Gen 28:10-22)

vs 11, The angel of Jehovah speaks to Jacob in a dream
vs 12, the angel says, "…​I have seen all that Laban is doing to you."
vs 13, the angel continues, "I am the God (el) of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and made a vow to me."

Reference (The God of Bethel)
Genesis 28:10-22

vs 12, [Jacob] dreamed…​ there was a ladder set up on earth and the top of it reached to heaven. And…​ the angels of God (Elohim) were ascending and descending on it…​ vs 13, Jehovah said (to Jacob in a dream), "I am Jehovah, the God (Elohim) of Abraham…​ and of Isaac…​"
vs 19 "[Jacob] called the name of that place Bethel…​"

Judges 2:1-5, The angel speaking for himself, No ref to Jehovah

vs 1, Now the angel of the LORD (Jehovah) went up from Gilgal to Bochim. And he said, “I brought you up from Egypt and brought you into the land that I swore to give to your fathers. I said, ‘I will never break my covenant with you,
vs 2, and you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall break down their altars.’ But you have not obeyed my voice. What is this you have done?
vs 3, So now I say, I will not drive them out before you, but they shall become thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare to you.”
vs 4, As soon as the angel of the LORD (Jehovah) spoke these words to all the people of Israel, the people lifted up their voices and wept.
vs 5, And they called the name of that place Bochim. And they sacrificed there to the LORD.

END OF PAGE 1

Judges 6:11-24

11, Now the angel of the LORD came and sat under the terebinth at Ophrah,…​ while…​ Gideon was beating out wheat in the winepress to hide it from the Midianites.
12, And the angel of the LORD…​ said to him, “The LORD (Jehovah) is with you, O mighty man of valor.”
13, And Gideon said to him, “Please, my Lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? …​ But now the LORD has forsaken us and given us into the hand of Midian.”
14, And the LORD (Jehovah) turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?”
15, And he said to him, “Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? …​”
16, And the LORD said to him, “But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.”
17, …​“If now I have found favor in your eyes, then show me a sign that it is you who speak with me.
18, Please do not depart from here until I come to you and bring out my present…​” And [the angel of Jehovah] said, “I will stay till you return.”
19, So Gideon…​ prepared a young goat and unleavened cakes from an ephah of flour. The meat he put in a basket, and the broth he put in a pot, and brought them to him under the terebinth and presented them.
20 And the angel of God (Elohim) said to him, “Take the meat and the unleavened cakes, and put them on this rock, and pour the broth over them.” And he did so.
21 Then the angel of the LORD (Jehovah) reached out the tip of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened cakes. And fire sprang up from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened cakes. And the angel of the LORD vanished from his sight.
22 Then Gideon perceived that he was the angel of the LORD. And Gideon said, “Alas, O Lord GOD! For now I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face.”
23 But the LORD (Jehovah) said to him, “Peace be to you. Do not fear; you shall not die.”
24 Then Gideon built an altar there to the LORD (Jehovah) and called it, The LORD (Jehovah) Is Peace. To this day it still stands at Ophrah, which belongs to the Abiezrites.

The Angel is NOT God the Father

Zechariah 1:7-17

7 On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month…​, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Zechariah,…​, saying,
8 “I saw in the night, and behold, a man riding on a red horse! He was standing among the myrtle trees in the glen, and behind him were red, sorrel, and white horses.
9 Then I said, ‘What are these, my lord?’ The angel who talked with me said to me, ‘I will show you what they are.’
10 So the man who was standing among the myrtle trees answered, ‘These are they whom the LORD has sent to patrol the earth.’
11 And they answered the angel of the LORD who was standing among the myrtle trees, and said, ‘We have patrolled the earth, and behold, all the earth remains at rest.’
12 Then the angel of the LORD said, ‘O LORD of hosts, how long will you have no mercy on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, against which you have been angry these seventy years?’
13 And the LORD answered gracious and comforting words to the angel who talked with me…​

END OF PAGE 2

The Angel of Jehovah references Jehovah/Elohim in the 3rd person

Genesis 16:11, "…​ Jehovah has heard your affliction"
vs 10, the angel has authority to make promises: "(WEB )I will greatly multiply your seed, that they will not be numbered for multitude."
vs 13, The Bible says "(WEB) She [Hagar] called the name of Jehovah who spoke to her, "You are a God who sees,"

Genesis 21:17

Judges 6:11,12

The Angel speaks in the 1st person

Genesis 22:1-18 (3rd & 1st person, vs 12)
Zechariah 1:11, 18-(20)-21

The Angel is spoken of in 1st person and speaks in 3rd person

Zechariah 1:11,18
Zechariah 3:1,2

The Angel acts as a spokesman/prophet of Jehovah

Zechariah 3:5-7

END OF PAGE 3

The Angel of the Lord identified as Jesus

Zechariah 12:1-2 (WEB)

An oracle. The word of Yahweh concerning Israel. Yahweh, who stretches out the heavens, and lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him says: 2 "Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of reeling to all the surrounding peoples, and on Judah also will it be in the siege against Jerusalem.

Zechariah 12:8 (WEB)

8 In that day Yahweh will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem. He who is feeble among them at that day will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of Yahweh before them.

Zechariah 12:10 (WEB)

10 I will pour on the house of David, and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplication; and they will look to me whom they have pierced; and they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for his only son, and will grieve bitterly for him, as one grieves for his firstborn.

END OF PAGE 4

Ideas about the Son lowering himself — Philippians 2:5-11 & Hebrews 1 & 2

The Son lowers himself & becomes flesh

However, Prior to the Son’s incarnation

  • We learn there is a Son — Proverbs 30:4, from the OT

    • That is, before he lowers himself to become flesh around 4-1BC, there is a son written about in the Old Testament.

    • Not just prophesying about coming, but also as currently existing, Proverbs 30:4;

      Proverbs 30:4

      4 Who has ascended to heaven and come down?
            Who has gathered the wind in his fists?
      Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment?
            Who has established all the ends of the earth?
      What is his name, and what is his son’s name?
            Surely you know!

  • But, if the Son lowers himself to Son status prior to incarnation then to what form…​ what is lower than God, but higher than human?…​ to the form of an angel?! (This makes sense of the word Elohim used in Psalm 8:4-7: "a little lower than God" & of aggelos used in Hebrews 2:7,9)

    • When the morning stars, (Latin: Lucifer), sang together (Job 38:4-(7)), Lucifer & the angel of Jehovah? As angels singing together?

      Job 38:4-7

      4 “Where were you when I laid
      the foundation of the earth?
      Tell me, if you have understanding.
      5 Who determined its measurements—surely you know!
      Or who stretched the line upon it?
      6 On what were its bases sunk,
      or who laid its cornerstone,
      7 when the morning stars sang together
      and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

      (see Job 1:6, to see "the sons of God" in Job are angels)

      END OF PAGE 5

    • Now there is only one bright morning star! 2 Peter 1:19; Revelation 2:28; 22:16

      2 Peter 1:19

      19 And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts,

      Revelation 2:26-28

      26 The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, 27 and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. 28 And I will give him the morning star.

      Revelation 22:16

      16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”

  • Put that together with Jesus incarnate and Jesus resurrected for the following…​

Is this a possible scenario?

Pre-incarnate Christ

  • Before creation, the Godhead is equality with God, all three equal

  • The 2nd person lowers himself (a little lower than God (Elohim, hebrew - gods) — Psalm 8:4-6) before or immediately after creation, (guessing)

    • The 2nd person (Christ) creates everything that is created, John 1; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:2

    • The 2nd person lowers himself to the form of an angel, (guessing)

  • The morning stars sang together, (Job 38:4-(7)) — fact; Lucifer & Christ, sang together as angels — (guessing)

Incarnate Christ

  • Christ lowers himself a little lower than the angels (aggelos, greek), (Hebrews 2:7,9 citing: Psalm 8:4-6)

    • He is made like us in everyway

    • He is tempted in all ways like us

    • He does not sin

    • He dies a wrongful death to make propitiation for & purify us

END OF PAGE 6

Resurrected Christ

  • As a result of his sacrificial death

    • Christ is exalted FAR above the angels to sit at God’s right hand

    • With a crown, throne, scepter, and kingdom

    • He is no longer the angel of Jehovah,

      • but the Son of God,

      • firstborn of the dead

Revelation 19:11-13 (ESV)

11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. 13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God.

END OF PAGE 7