Again, the identity of the angel of the Lord and of Jehovah is
unmistakably shown from the account of the voice that cried from the
burning bush: "I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God
of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face, for he was
afraid to look upon God."
Concerning the manifestation of Jehovah to men in angelic and human form
a modern writer says: "Much has been written concerning a certain
Mal'akh Yaweh (messenger of Jehovah) who appears in the Old Testament. I
say 'a certain' Mal'akh Yaweh, because it is not every Mal'akh Yaweh
that appears to which I refer. In most passages the Mal'akh Yaweh is
simply an angel sent by the Almighty to communicate his will or purposes
to men. These angels are distinctly apprehended as created
intelligences, wholly separate and diverse from God. But there is a
class of passages in which the Mal'akh Yaweh appears as a
self-manifestation of God. He appears indeed in human form and speaks
of God in the third person. But those to whom he appears are oppressed
by the consciousness that they have seen God and must die. They see in
him an impersonation of Deity such as is found in no other angel. He is
to their minds not merely a messenger from God but the revelation of the
being of God. The Christian fathers for the most part identify him with
the Logos of the New Testament. But there is as much reason to adopt the
opinion of many modern writers who hold that he is Jehovah himself
appearing in human form, for he is explicitly addressed as Jehovah
(Judges vi. 11-24)."[333]
The identity of the angel of Jehovah and of Jehovah Himself could not be
more conclusively proved than in the appearance to Gideon, related in
the passage above cited, Judges vi. 11-24. The absolute identity is
revealed in verses 22, 23: "And when Gideon perceived that he was an
angel of the Lord, Gideon said, Alas, O Lord God! for because I have
seen an angel of the Lord face to face. And the Lord said unto him,
Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die."
Now let us suppose that Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin had received these
passages favorably; that they had become convinced that Jehovah had
appeared in the olden days in the form of angels and of men; that at one
time He was identical with a man, and at another with an angel whom He
had sent. Let us suppose further that the judges of Jesus had demanded
of Him a passage of ancient Scriptures connecting Him even remotely
with this messenger of God. The following passage might have been
produced:
Ex. xxiii. 20, 21: Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep
thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have
prepared. Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for
he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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