Who is the Angel of the LORD? Hidden Appearances of Jesus in the Old Testament

Who is the mysterious “Angel of the LORD” who keeps showing up all over the Old Testament—and why does he talk, act, and receive worship as if he is God Himself? In this episode, Joshua Lewis walks through key Old Testament passages to argue that the Angel of the LORD is not a created angel at all, but the pre-incarnate Son of God, Jesus Christ, appearing long before Bethlehem.

From Hagar in the wilderness, to Abraham on Mount Moriah, to Moses at the burning bush, to Gideon in the wine press, these Old Testament stories form a consistent pattern: this Angel carries the divine name, makes covenant promises, swears by Himself, declares “I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,” accepts worship and sacrifice, and is recognized as Yahweh—with no correction from Scripture. Josh carefully exegetes key passages like Genesis 16, Genesis 22, Exodus 3, and Judges 6, showing how the biblical authors themselves move seamlessly between “the Angel of the LORD” and “Yahweh,” presenting one divine being in more than one person.

Along the way, we explore how this fits within Christian theology, biblical prophecy, and the developing revelation of the Trinity. How can God the Father be “invisible” and yet God is repeatedly seen in the Old Testament? How does the New Testament’s teaching that the Son is “the image of the invisible God” resolve this tension? And what does it mean for spiritual warfare, for covenant, and for our reading of the entire Bible if Jesus has been present and active in redemptive history from the very beginning?

If you’re hungry for a deeper dive into Christian theology, Old Testament theophanies, and the identity of the Angel of the LORD as the pre-incarnate Christ, this episode will help you see Jesus woven all through the story of Israel - speaking, saving, commissioning, judging, forgiving, and revealing the Father long before the incarnation.

00:00 – The Mystery of the Angel of the LORD Introduced
01:55 – The Angel of the LORD as the Pre-Incarnate Son of God (Thesis)
02:14 – Genesis 16: The Angel of the LORD Appears to Hagar
06:13 – Genesis 22: The Angel swears by Himself to Abraham
09:08 – Exodus 3: The Angel in the Burning Bush
12:11 – Judges 6: The Angel Commissions Gideon
17:56 – Summary: What the Angel Does Only God Can Do
18:47 – The Son as the Image of the Invisible God
20:06 – Jesus Has Always Been Present in God’s Story

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