The Divine Messenger

Contents

The word מלאך (mal'akh) has the root meaning of to send and does not denote the nature of the one sent. The meaning ranges from messenger to envoy

Function or Nature?

Who or what the one sent is cannot be determined from the word מלאך because it only describes the function of the sent one. Joshua's spies are called מלאכים in Joshua 6:17, 25 because they were sent. By nature they were human but the word describes their function. The same is true of the The Angel of YHWH (מלאך יהוה). His function was to be sent but, as many texts show his nature is deity. He is from YHWH (יהוה) and yet he is one with YHWH (יהוה).

"Hear Oh Israel, YHWH (יהוה) is our God, YHWH (יהוה) is echad!"
The unity of God is one of complexity. God is unseen and yet seen, omnipresent and yet localized. Not man and yet became man.

YHWH (יהוה)
Seen, yet not seen.

Not seen.
Exodus 33:18-23     Moses said, “Please show me your glory.”
...“you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” 
(ויאמר לא תוכל לראת את-פני כי לא-יראני האדם וחי)
...and while my glory passes by... but my face shall not be seen.”
Yet seen
Exodus 33:11 Thus YHWH (יהוה) used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.
(וגבר יהוה אל-משה פנים אל פנים כאשר ידבר איש אל-רעהו)

Seen by: Hagar

ותקרא שם-יהוה הדבר אליה אתה אל ראי כי אמרה הגם הלם ראיתי אחרי ראי

Genesis 16:7-14
The Angel of YHWH (מלאך יהוה) found her...

And he said, “Hagar...
The Angel of YHWH (מלאך יהוה) also said to her,
“I will surely multiply your offspring...”
Hagar recognised that it was God speaking to her.
So she called the name of YHWH (יהוה)  who spoke to her,
“You are a God of seeing,” for she said,
“Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.
” Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi (באר לחי ראי)
Seen by: Abraham

Genesis 22:11-12, 13-14, 15-16, 17–18
The Angel of YHWH (מלאך יהוה) speaks to Abraham:

Malakh YHWH (יהוה) called to [Abraham]... He said, “Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.

The Angel of YHWH (מלאך יהוה) identifies himself as YHWH (יהוה)

...the Angel of YHWH (מלאך יהוה) called to Abraham a second time... and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares YHWH (יהוה), because you ... have not withheld your son, your only son, ...I will greatly bless you... because you have obeyed my voice.

Whose voice?

The one speaking - the Angel of YHWH (מלאך יהוה), who is YHWH (יהוה)

Genesis 18-19

Genesis 18 begins by saying YHWH (יהוה) appeared to Abraham (וירא אליו יהוה).
Genesis 18:2 tells us how YHWH (יהוה) appeared to him.

He raised his eyes (וישא עיניו) and saw three men  (וירא והנה שלשה אנשים).

It is interesting that in Genesis 18:3 he addresses one of the men using the title Adonay (אדנָ֗י) reserved only for YHWH  (אדנָ֗י אם-נא מצאתי חן בעיניך אל-נא תעבר מעל עבדך)

And we know he is addressing one of the men because it's all masculine singular.

It's only in Genesis 18:4-5 that he addresses all three  (רחצו רגליכם והשענו).

So in this introduction we are informed that

YHWH appeared to Abraham.

Of the three men Abraham addressed,

one is Adonay (אדנָ֗י), a title reserved exclusively for YHWH.

The three remain under the tree and are entertained by Abraham  (Genesis 18:8).

(ויקח חמאה וחלב ובן-הבקר אשר עשה ויתן לפניהם והוא עמד עליהם תחת העץ ויאכלו)

They ask where Sarah might be and then one of them, YHWH (יהוה) speaks in Genesis 18:9 and says he will return the following year. (ויאמרו אליו איה שרה אשתך ויאמר הנה באהל)

We know it's YHWH because Genesis 21:1-2 tells us

"So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the appointed time of which God had spoken to him."

Sarah was listening to this conversation from the tent.

Who was she listening to?

The three men under the tree,

One of whom was Adonay (אדנָ֗י).

When she laughed at what God had just said to Abraham, the identity of Adonay was made plain in Genesis 18:13,

"YHWH (יהוה) said to Abraham..." (ויאמר יהוה אל-אברהם)

The three men got up to go in Genesis 18:16

and Abraham walked with them  (ויקמו משם האנשים וישקפו ואברהם הלך עמם).

YHWH (יהוה)  spoke again from Genesis 18:17 (ויהוה אמר וינר יהוה).

Genesis 18:22 tells us that:

The men turned away towards Sodom (ויפנו משם האנשים וילכו סדמה) but Abraham stayed with YHWH (יהוה)  (ואברהם עודנו עמד לפמני יהוה)

How do we know only two left?

Because Genesis 19:1 tells us that two messengers (שני המלאכים שני) arrived at Sodom.

Where was the third?

Back with Abraham obviously.

After some haggling about Sodom YHWH (יהוה) eventually left and Abraham returned to his tent (וילך יהוה).

God walked off to join the others.

YHWH /Adonay (יהוה/אדנָ֗י)  is mentioned then in Genesis 19:17 outside Sodom where he has rejoined the other two (ויאמר המלט).

Lot answered Adonay (אדנָ֗י), "... no my Lord..." ( אל-נא אדנָ֗י).

Genesis 19:19 contains words in the masculine singular.

Lot pleads with YHWH /Adonay (יהוה/אדנָ֗י) .
Then in Genesis 19:24

YHWH (יהוה), one of the men, addressed earlier with the divine title Adonay (אדנָ֗י) is described as... YHWH (יהוה).

And YHWH (יהוה) standing there causes fire to rain down from YHWH (יהוה) in heaven.


YHWH (יהוה) appeared to Abraham as Adonay (אדנָ֗י), one of the three men, to speak about the promised son and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. His appearance is human and according to Genesis 19:24 he is separate from YHWH (יהוה) in heaven.

And YHWH (יהוה)  - subject of the sentence

...caused it to rain (המטיר - hifil, causative sense) on Sodom and Gomorrah...

from YHWH (יהוה)   -  מאת יהוה - direct object את of the sentence with preposition מן pointing to source)

...out of  heaven (מן השמים - and the origin).

YHWH (יהוה) is the subject

standing and speaking with Lot

and he causes it to rain fire etc

from another source, heaven

and another object who is also YHWH (יהוה).

The one YHWH (יהוה) is the subject of the sentence

who directs another called YHWH (יהוה)

who is in another location (השמים) to cause the action.

Subject (יהוה) - Action: caused rain  (המטיר) - Object and source: (מאת יהוה) - Location (מן השמים)

There is a difference in the use of Adonay in the Tanakh.

In Genesis 18:3 it reads: ויאמר אדנָ֗י אם-נא נמצאתי חן בעיניך אל-נא תעבר מעל עבדך
Adonay (אדנָ֗י) is the subject and has singular pronouns associated with it (בעיניך, עבדך - 'your' singular) and a singular verb (תעבר)
Whereas, in Genesis 19:2 it reads

ויאמר הנה נא-אדנָ֗י סורו נא אל-בית עבדכם ולינו ורחצו רגליכם יהשכמתם והלכתם לדרככם ויאמרו לא כי ברחוב נלין

Adonay  (אדנַ֗י), pointed with a patach, is the subject and has plural pronouns ( דרככם עבדכם רגליכם השכנתם )  and plural verbs (לינו סורו רחצו).

So in Genesis 18:3 Adonay (אדנָ֗י) is sort of a plural of majesty (like elohim [אלהים]) and is used with the masculine singular. It is always and only used of YHWH (יהוה) in this way and is translated Lord, whereas in Genesis 19:2 Adonay (אדנַ֗י) is a straight plural used with plural pronouns and verbs and is translated 'lords'.

Seen by: Jacob
ויקרא יעקב שם המקום פניאל כי-ראיתי אלהים פנים אל פנים ותנצל נפשי
Genesis 32:24-30
...Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him... 
When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob,
[the man] touched his hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with [the man]...
you have striven with God...
Then Jacob asked [the man],
“Please tell me your name.”
But [the man] said, “Why is it that you ask my name?”
And there [the man] blessed him...
So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying,
“For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.”

“...and there he built an altar and called the place El-bethel,

because there God had revealed himself to him when he fled from his brother.” (Genesis 35:7) ויבנ שם מזבח ויקרא למקום אל בת-אל כי שם נגלו אליו האלהים בברחו מפני אחיו

“And Jacob was left alone.

And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day.” (Genesis 32:24) ויותר יעקב לבדו     

             ויאבק איש עמו עד עלות השחר

“...But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”” (Genesis 32:26)                          ויאמר לא אשלחך כי אם-ברכתני
“...you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.”” (Genesis 32:28)

כי-שרית עם-אלהים חעם-אנשים ותוכל
“Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him.” (Genesis 32:29)

וישאל יעקב ויאמר הגידה-נא שמך ויאמר למה זה תשאל לשמי ויברך אתו שם
“So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.”” (Genesis 32:30)

ויקרא יעקב שם המקום פניאל כי-ראיתי אלהים פנים אל פנים ותנצל נפשי
“Jacob ...in his manhood he strove with God.” (Hosea 12:3)

ובאונו שרה את-אלהים
“He strove with the Malakh and prevailed; he wept and sought HIS favour. He MET GOD at Bethel... even יהוה, the God of hosts, יהוה is his memorial name:” (Hosea 12:4–5)

וישר אל-מלאך ויכל בכה ויתחנן לו בת-אל ימצאנו ושם ויהוה אלהי הצבאות יהוה זכרו

“And he blessed Joseph and said, “The GOD before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the GOD who has been my shepherd all my life long to this day, the MALAKH who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the boys...”” (Genesis 48:15–16)

ויברך את-יוסף ויאמר האלהים אשר התהלכו אבתי לפניו אברהם ויצחק האלהים הרעה אתי מעודי עד-היום הזה: המלאך הגאל אתי מכל-רע יברך את הנערים

God revealed himself to Jacob as a man who is identified as the Malakh יהוה, who wrestled with him. Jacob sought to be blessed by him. He is told by the man he wrestled with that he was God. Jacob asked his name and got blessed. He was so convinced he had physically encountered God that he named the place פניאל (face/presence of El), stating that he had seen God face to face and did not die! Hosea described this incident with the Malakh as a meeting with God, in fact יהוה of hosts. Looking back on his life and blessing Joseph's sons he equated the Malakh with God (Elsewhere in Tanakh we read: Zechariah 12:8 "...and the house of David will be like God ( כלהים), like the Angel of YHWH (מלאך יהוה) before them." In this verse God and the Malakh are equivalents).
“Jacob... came to a certain place and stayed there that night... And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven... יהוה stood above it and said, “I am יהוה ... Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land... Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely יהוה is in this place, and I did not know it.” (Genesis 28:10–22)

ויצא יעקב מבאר שבע וילך חרנה: ויפגע במקום וילן שם כי בא השמש ויקח מאבני המקום וישם מראשתיו וישכב במקום ההוא: וחלם והנה סלם מצב ארצה וראשו מגיע השמימה והנה מלאכי אלהים עלים וירדים בו: והנה יהוה נצב עליו  ויאמר אני יהוה אלהי אברהם אביך ואלהי יצחק הארץ אשר אתה שכב עליה לך אתננה ולזרעך

והנה אנכי עמך ושמרתיך בכל אשר-תלך והשבתיך אל האדמה הזאת כי לא אעזבך עד אשר אם עשיתי את אשר דברתי לך ויקץ יעקב משנתו ויאמר אכן יש יהוה במקום הזה ואנכי לא ידעתי

“Then the Angel of God said to me in the dream... I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and made a vow to me. " (Genesis 31:11–13)
“וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֵלַ֜י מַלְאַ֧ךְ הָאֱלֹהִ֛ים בַּחֲל֖וֹם ... אָנֹכִ֤י הָאֵל֙ בֵּֽית־אֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר מָשַׁ֤חְתָּ שָּׁם֙ מַצֵּבָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר נָדַ֥רְתָּ לִּ֛י שָׁ֖ם...”

God appeared to Jacob in a dream at Bethel. Later, the Angel of God/יהוה appears in another dream and identifies himself as the God of Bethel, to whom Jacob had made a vow.

As Heiser says: "How does it make sense to have the angel in Genesis 31 essentially saying, “I’m the messenger of Yahweh, but consider me Yahweh for the sake of protocol” when no such protocol mediation was necessary in the earlier event referenced by the angel? It makes far more sense to take the [Malakh] at his word: “I am the God of Bethel—you’ve seen me before."

Michael S. Heiser, Angels: What the Bible Really Says about God’s Heavenly Host (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2018), 62.


Seen by: Moses
Exodus 3:2-6, 16
And the Angel of YHWH (מלאך יהוה) appeared to him
  • in a flame of fire 
  • out of the midst of a bush.
When YHWH (יהוה)  saw that he turned aside to see,
  • God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!”
  • And he said, “Here I am.”
  • Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.”
  • And he said, “I am the God of your 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 at God...
...say to them, ‘YHWH (יהוה) ... has appeared to me...

Seen by Moses

Exodus 3:6
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר אָנֹכִי֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י אָבִ֔יךָ אֱלֹהֵ֧י אַבְרָהָ֛ם אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִצְחָ֖ק וֵאלֹהֵ֣י יַעֲקֹ֑ב וַיַּסְתֵּ֤ר מֹשֶׁה֙ פָּנָ֔יו כִּ֣י יָרֵ֔א מֵהַבִּ֖יט אֶל־הָאֱלֹהִֽים

Now Moses... came to Horeb...

The Angel of YHWH (מלך יהוה) appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush...

So Moses said, “I must turn aside now and see...

When YHWH (יהוה) saw that he turned aside to look,

God (אלהים) called to him from the midst of the bush... He said also, “I am...

אלהי אביך אלהי אברהם אלהי יצחק
...Then Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God (אלהים).

So here we have it.

  • Moses came to the mountain of God
  • and the Angel of YHWH (מלך יהוה) appeared to him from fire in a bush.
  • Moses shows interest and the one in the flame who is named as both
    • YHWH (יהוה)
    • and God
  • He speaks to Moses:
    • 'God called to him from the midst of the bush'.
  • So the one who appeared is the Divine Envoy (מלך יהוה)
  • but the author states that this one is YHWH (יהוה) and God (אלהים).
  • This is not the narrative but the author of Exodus telling us that God called to Moses from the bush. And the one in the flame in the bush states that he is the God of the ancestors.
  • Moses recognised that the Angel of YHWH (מלך יהוה) who had appeared to him was God.
  • There is no sense here of the Angel of YHWH (מלך יהוה) speaking for God, the Angel of YHWH (מלך יהוה) is God!

Let's look further in Exodus 3 and 4...

YHWH (יהוה) said,

“I have surely seen the affliction of My people... “So I HAVE COME DOWN to deliver them... and TO BRING THEM UP ...to a good and spacious land...

I will send you (Moses) to Pharaoh...

Then Moses said to God...

I will say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you.’

... say to them (the elders),

‘YHWH (יהוה), the God  (אלהים) of your fathers...

has APPEARED to me... (Ex 3:16)

 I will bring you up...

to the land of the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Amorite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite...

YHWH (יהוה), the God  (אלהים) of the Hebrews, has met with us...

Then Moses said...

they may say, ‘YHWH (יהוה) has not APPEARED to you.’ (Ex 4:1)

...“YHWH (יהוה) , the God  (אלהים) of their fathers... has APPEARED to you.” (Ex 4:5)

So God says

  • that he has come down to deliver them.
  • God sent Moses to the people.
    • He is to tell them that God appeared to him.
    • This recurs in the passage.

We need to ask:

  • Who appeared?
    • Verse 2 tells us the Angel of YHWH (מלך יהוה) appeared.
    • The Angel of YHWH (מלך יהוה) speaks as and is addressed as YHWH (יהוה) and God.
    • There is no 'Thus says YHWH (יהוה)' mediator here but God speaking in his capacity as Angel of YHWH (מלך יהוה).

It is interesting to note what Moses says in Deuteronomy when talking of God:

“And with the choice things of the earth and its fullness, And the favor of Him who dwelt in the bush...” (Deuteronomy 33:16)

Now this discounts any notion that the Angel of YHWH (מלך יהוה) was speaking for God from the bush because here Moses tells us plainly that the one in the burning bush was God (אלהים). The Angel of YHWH (מלך יהוה) is God.

In this passage God promises to bring up the people to the Promised Land. Now compare:

Judges 2:1-2, 2-3, 5
...the Angel of YHWH (מלך יהוה) came up...

And he said, “I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land which I have sworn to your fathers; and I said, ‘I will never break My covenant with you
...and as for you...

you have not obeyed Me...

Therefore I also said, ‘I will not drive them out before you; but they will become as thorns in your sides and their gods will be a snare to you.

...When the Angel of YHWH (מלך יהוה)  spoke these words to all the sons of Israel,

the people lifted up their voices and wept.

When compared with Exodus 20:2

"I am יהוה your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt."

...it becomes clear that the Angel of YHWH (מלך יהוה)  is distinct from but yet one with YHWH (יהוה)

So what's in a name?

Jesus "...Holy Father, keep them in your name, the name which you have given Me... I have made your name known to them, and will make it known..."
The name יהוה is given to Jesus and this is not a surprise because we find the same in Tanakh.

"“Behold, I am going to send Malakh (מלך) before you to guard you along the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared. “Be on your guard before him and obey his voice; do not be rebellious toward him, for he will not pardon your transgression, since MY NAME IS WITHIN HIM..."

Now in view of what YHWH  (יהוה) says in Isaiah:

“I am YHWH  (יהוה), that is My name; I will not give My glory to another...",

we have a problem because another is sharing the name יהוה. But if, as is shown throughout Tanakh more than one is addressed as YHWH  (יהוה)then the problem disappears.

Seen by: the Elders of Israel
Exodus 24:1-12

Then he said to Moses, "Come up to YHWH,
you, Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel,
and worship from afar.
ואל-משה אמר עלה אל-יהוה אתה ואהרן נדב ואביהוא ושבעים מזקני ישראל והשתחויתם מרחק
And they saw the God of Israel
and under his feet, like a pavement...
and they beheld God
and ate and drank...
And YHWH said to Moses, 'come up to me'.
ויראו את אלהי ישראל ותחת רגליו כמעשה לבנת הספיר וכעצםהשמים לטהר ואל-אצילי בני ישראל לא שלח ידו ויחזו את-האלהים ויאכלו וישתו ויאמר יהוה אל-משה עלה אלי
 

Seen by Joshua

Joshua 5:13, 14-15, 6:2

וַיְהִ֗י בִּֽהְי֣וֹת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ֮ בִּירִיחוֹ֒ וַיִּשָּׂ֤א עֵינָיו֙ וַיַּ֔רְא וְהִנֵּה־אִישׁ֙ עֹמֵ֣ד לְנֶגְדּ֔וֹ וְחַרְבּ֥וֹ שְׁלוּפָ֖ה בְּיָד֑וֹ וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ יְהוֹשֻׁ֤עַ אֵלָיו֙ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֔וֹ הֲלָ֥נוּ אַתָּ֖ה אִם־לְצָרֵֽינוּ׃ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר׀ לֹ֗א כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י שַׂר־צְבָֽא־יְהוָ֖ה עַתָּ֣ה בָ֑אתִי וַיִּפֹּל֩ יְהוֹשֻׁ֨עַ אֶל־פָּנָ֥יו אַ֙רְצָה֙ וַיִּשְׁתָּ֔חוּ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֔וֹ מָ֥ה אֲדֹנִ֖י מְדַבֵּ֥ר אֶל־עַבְדּֽוֹ׃ וַיֹּאמֶר֩ שַׂר־צְבָ֨א יְהוָ֜ה אֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁ֗עַ שַׁל־נַֽעַלְךָ֙ מֵעַ֣ל רַגְלֶ֔ךָ כִּ֣י הַמָּק֗וֹם אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַתָּ֛ה עֹמֵ֥ד עָלָ֖יו קֹ֣דֶשׁ ה֑וּא וַיַּ֥עַשׂ יְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ כֵּֽן׃

Daniel 8:11 shows us that שר is the title of God:
"It even magnified itself to be equal with the Commander of the host שר הצבא; and it removed the regular sacrifice from Him, and the place of His sanctuary was thrown down."

So the one who appeared to Joshua as שר צבא יהוה can quite rightly be understood as divine. And that divine one appeared as 'a man' and was worshiped by Joshua, and like Moses in Exodus 3, removed his sandals in the presence of God, Malakh YHWH.

Seen by Gideon

Judges 6:11-23
וַיַּ֣רְא גִּדְע֔וֹן כִּֽי־מַלְאַ֥ךְ יְהוָ֖ה ה֑וּא וַיֹּ֣אמֶר גִּדְע֗וֹן אֲהָהּ֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה כִּֽי־עַל־כֵּ֤ן רָאִ֙יתִי֙ מַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהוָ֔ה פָּנִ֖ים אֶל־פָּנִֽים׃ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר ל֧וֹ יְהוָ֛ה שָׁל֥וֹם לְךָ֖ אַל־תִּירָ֑א לֹ֖א תָּמֽוּת


Seen by: Gideon
Judges 6:11-23   Now the Angel of YHWH (מלאך יהוה) came and sat under the terebinth at Ophrah,... 
  • And YHWH (יהוה)  turned to him... 
    • Then the Angel of YHWH (מלאך יהוה) reached out the tip of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened cakes...
    • And the Angel of YHWH (מלאך יהוה) vanished from his sight...
    • Then Gideon perceived that he was the Angel of YHWH (מלאך יהוה).
    • And Gideon said,
      • “Alas, Adonay YHWH (אדנָ֗י יהוה)!
        • For now I have seen the Angel of YHWH (מלאך יהוה) face to face.”
        • ...But YHWH (יהוה) said to him, “Peace be to you. Do not fear; you shall not die.”

Malakh YHWH (מלאך יהוה)  visits Gideon:

...Malakh YHWH (מלאך יהוה) came and sat under the oak that was in Ophrah
...
Malakh YHWH (מלאך יהוה)  appeared to [Gideon] and said to him, “יהוה is with you, O valiant warrior.”
Not recognising יהוה: ...Then Gideon said to him... Did not יהוה bring us up from Egypt?
Malakh יהוה now addresses him as יהוה
... יהוה looked at him and said... Have I not sent you? ...יהוה said to him, “Surely I will be with you."
Gideon wants to be sure that
Malakh YHWH is יהוה
...Gideon said to Him, “If now I have found favour in your sight, then show me a sign that it is you who speaks with me
...Please do not depart from here, until I come back to You, and bring out my offering and lay it before you.
...He said, “I will remain until you return.
...Then Gideon went in and prepared... and brought them out to him under the oak and presented them.

Malakh YHWH (מלאך יהוה)  accepted Gideon's offering
Malakh Elohim said to him, “Take the meat and the unleavened bread and lay them on this rock, and pour out the broth.” And he did so.
...
Malakh YHWH (מלאך יהוה)  put out the end of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened bread; and fire sprang up from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened bread.
...
Malakh YHWH (מלאך יהוה)  vanished from his sight.
Gideon is concerned for his life because he is aware that the Angel of YHWH (מלך יהוה)  is God:
...When Gideon saw that he was
Malakh YHWH (מלאך יהוה) , he said, “Alas, O Lord God! For now I have seen Malakh YHWH (מלאך יהוה)  face to face.
Malakh YHWH (מלאך יהוה) speaks and reassures him:
"...יהוה said to him, “Peace to you, do not fear; you shall not die.” (Judges 6:22-23)

Seen by: Samson's parents
Judges 13:3-23
And the Angel of YHWH (מלאך יהוה) appeared to the woman... Then the woman came and told her husband,
  • “A man of God came to me, and his appearance was like the appearance of the Angel of YHWH (מלאך אלהים), very awesome... 
  • “O Lord (אדנָ֗י), please let the man of God whom you sent come again to us... and the Angel of YHWH (מלאך אלהים) came again to the woman...
  • So the woman ran quickly and told her husband, Behold, the man who came to me the other day has appeared to me.” ...
  • Manoah said to the Angel of YHWH (מלאך יהוה), “Please let us detain you and prepare a young goat for you.”
  • And the Angel of YHWH (מלאך יהוה) said to Manoah, “If you detain me, I will not eat of your food. But if you prepare a burnt offering, then offer it to YHWH (יהוה).” (For Manoah did not know that he was the Angel of YHWH (מלאך יהוה).)
  • ...And the Angel of YHWH (מלאך יהוה) said to him, “Why do you ask my name, seeing it is 'WONDERS'?”
So Manoah took the young goat with the grain offering, and offered it on the rock to YHWH (יהוה),
  • to the one working WONDERS, and Manoah and his wife were watching...
  • And when the flame went up toward heaven from the altar, the Angel of YHWH (מלאך יהוה) ascended in the flame of the altar.
  • Now Manoah and his wife were watching,
  • and they fell on their faces to the ground.
  • The Angel of YHWH (מלאך יהוה) appeared no more to Manoah and to his wife.
  • Then Manoah knew that he was the Angel of YHWH (מלאך יהוה) ...
  • And Manoah said to his wife, “We shall surely die, for we have seen God.”
  • But his wife said to him, “If YHWH (יהוה) had meant to kill us, he would not have accepted a burnt offering and a grain offering at our hands, or shown us all these things, or now announced to us such things as these.”

Judges 13:3, 5, 22

וַיֹּ֧אמֶר מָנ֛וֹחַ אֶל־אִשְׁתּ֖וֹ מ֣וֹת נָמ֑וּת כִּ֥י אֱלֹהִ֖ים רָאִֽינוּ
The Angel appeared to Manoah's wife as a man but was more than a man.(Judges 13:8-10, )

Both Manoah and his wife encountered the Angel of YHWH (מלך יהוה)  again and wished to show hospitality to him

(Judges 13:15-16, 17-18, 19-20, 21, 22-23)

Notice the interchange in Judges 13:20-21, 22-23 between the man being called YHWH and Angel of YHWH. The Malakh is now called simply YHWH... the one who works wonders...

and Manoah and his wife were watching. And when the flame went up toward heaven from the altar, the Angel of YHWH went up in the flame of the altar. Angel of YHWH accepted their offering (עלה) and ascended in it... Manoah and his wife were watching, and they fell on their faces to the ground... Angel of YHWH appeared no more to Manoah and to his wife. The emphasis is on seeing... but seeing what?

Then Manoah knew that he was the Angel of YHWH.
And Manoah said to his wife, “We shall surely die, for we have seen God.”

They saw God. The Angel was God in human form and they thought they would die!

But his wife said to him, “If the Lord (יהוה)  had meant to kill us, he would not have accepted the  burnt offering and a grain offering at our hands, or shown us all these things, or now announced to us such things as these.”

The Angel is called God and identified as YHWH (יהוה).

Seen by Isaiah

Isaiah 6:1, 5
בִּשְׁנַת־מוֹת֙ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ עֻזִּיָּ֔הוּ וָאֶרְאֶ֧ה אֶת־אֲדֹנָ֛י יֹשֵׁ֥ב עַל־כִּסֵּ֖א רָ֣ם וְנִשָּׂ֑א וְשׁוּלָ֖יו מְלֵאִ֥ים אֶת־הַהֵיכָֽל׃וָאֹמַ֞ר אֽוֹי־לִ֣י כִֽי־נִדְמֵ֗יתִי כִּ֣י אִ֤ישׁ טְמֵֽא־שְׂפָתַ֙יִם֙ אָנֹ֔כִי וּבְתוֹךְ֙ עַם־טְמֵ֣א שְׂפָתַ֔יִם אָנֹכִ֖י יוֹשֵׁ֑ב כִּ֗י אֶת־הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ יְהוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת רָא֥וּ עֵינָֽי

Seen by: Isaiah
Isaiah 6:1, 5
In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord (אדנָ֗י) sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple...
  • And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, YHWH (יהוה) of hosts!”

“When Jesus had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them. Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him, so that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:

“Lord, who has believed what he heard from us, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”

Therefore they could not believe. For again Isaiah said,

“He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and turn, and I would heal them.”

Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke of him.” (John 12:36–41)

“In the year that King Uzziah died

I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple.”

for my eyes have seen the King, YHWH of armies!””

“And he said,

“Go, and say to this people: “ ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.””

(Isaiah 6:1, 5, 9–10)

Seen by David

“Then Solomon began to build the house of יהוה in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where he (יהוה) had appeared to David his father, at the place that David had appointed, on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.” (2 Chronicles 3:1)

So יהוה APPEARED to David. Now what do we read about this incident:

“And David lifted his eyes and SAW the Angel of YHWH (מלך יהוה)  standing between earth and heaven, and in his hand a drawn sword stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.” (1 Chronicles 21:16)

So the writer of Chronicles says that יהוה appeared to David. Yet the incident describes the one appearing as being the Angel of YHWH (מלך יהוה) . The conclusion is clear, especially in view of the many other incidences. The Angel of YHWH (מלך יהוה)  is God in visible human form.

If God cannot be seen who did they see?
John 1:18 No one has ever seen God;
  • the only God, who is at the Father’s side, 
  • he has made him known.

 Jesus and the Angel of YHWH

The New Testament identifies Jesus as the Angel. Remember, an angel is one who is sent without reference to the nature of the one sent.
When 1 Corinthians 10:1 is compared with Exodus 13:21, and Exodus 14:19, 24 the Angel of God, who had been going before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them. It goes on to say that '...at the morning watch, YHWH looked down on the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud...'
Numbers 14:14 says that it was YHWH who was among the people. And Psalm 78:14 says that '...he led them with the cloud by day and all the night with a light of fire.'
It was the Angel who accompanied the nation and the New Testament says that it was the Messiah who accompanied them. He was their spiritual rock. (1 Corinthians 10:4) The association seems clear:
Deuteronomy 32:3-4 and Deuteronomy 32:15, 18

Jude 5 Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus*, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.
* The reading Ἰησοῦς/Jesus [enjoys] ...the strongest support from a variety of early witnesses (e.g., A B 33 81 1241 1739 1881 2344 pc vg co Or1739mg)... The NET Bible (Biblical Studies Press, 2005).)

Exodus 12:51 says that YHWH brought the people out of Egypt and yet...

Judges 2:1 says that the Angel of YHWH brought Israel out of Egypt

And 1 Corinthians 10:4-5, 9 says 'all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Messiah. Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.... We must not put *Messiah/Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents.'
* Χριστόν (Christon, “Christ”) is attested in the majority of MSS, including many important witnesses of the Alexandrian (𝔓46 1739 1881) and Western (D F G) textvtypes, and other MSS and versions (Ψ latt sy co). The NET Bible (Biblical Studies Press, 2005).


Numbers 26:65 For YHWH had said of them, “They shall die in the wilderness.” Not one of them was left, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun.

John 8:58

“εἶπεν αὐτοῖς Ἰησοῦς· Ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, πρὶν Ἀβραὰμ γενέσθαι ἐγὼ εἰμί.” (John 8:58)

הֵשִׁיב לָהֶם יֵשׁוּעַ׃ ״אָמֵן אָמֵן אֲנִי אוֹמֵר לָכֶם, בְּטֶרֶם הֱיוֹת אַבְרָהָם, אֲנִי הוּא.<\p>

"So the Judeans said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.” Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple." The lead up to his statement is this:

“So they were saying to Him, “Where is Your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither Me nor My Father; if you knew Me, you would know My Father also.”” (John 8:19) “And He was saying to them, “You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world.” (John 8:23) ““I speak the things which I have seen with My Father; therefore you also do the things which you heard from your father.”” (John 8:38)

Jesus took their statement to another level. Not only had he seen Abraham but he was in existence not just before Abraham (which would read ἤμην - ‘I was’) but eternally ‘ἐγὼ εἰμί’. Notice that their response was to pick up stones to throw at him just as in John 10:31 where we are explicitly told their response was to his perceived blasphemy “For a good work we do not stone you, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make yourself out to be God.”

What does Torah say about blasphemy? “‘Moreover, the one who blasphemes the name of the Lord shall surely be put to death; all the congregation shall certainly stone him...” (Leviticus 24:16).

So in John 8:59 their response to his claim was to try and stone him.

John 8:58 reads '...πρὶν (before) Ἀβραὰμ γενέσθαι (was/existed) ἐγὼ εἰμί (I myself am/exist).'

The Greek version (LXX) of the Torah (circa 250 BC) translates "אני הוא" in Deuteronomy 32:39 as "‘See now that I am (ἐγώ εἰμι), And there is no god besides Me..." Isaiah 41:4 "‘I, יהוה , am the first, and with the last. I am he (ἐγώ εἰμι)’ "

And Isaiah 43:10 reads

““You are My witnesses,” declares יהוה, “And My servant whom I have chosen, So that you may know and believe Me And understand that I am He (ἐγώ εἰμι)...”

Compare this with the words of Jesus to John in Revelation 1:7:

"When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I am (ἐγώ εἰμι) the first and the last..."

Revelation 22:13, 16

"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end... I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star."

Also Isaiah 43:13, 46:4, 48:12. Isaiah 52:6 is interesting because there יהוה says:

"Therefore my people will know my name in that day. For I am (ἐγώ εἰμι/אני הוא), behold I, the one speaking."

There appears to be a subtle pointer here to Exodus 3:14.

In John 10:28-30 we read:

“...I give eternal life to them... and no one will snatch them out of my hand... and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. “I and the Father are one.”

Jesus claims to give eternal life and then puts himself on a par with the Father.

“The Judeans picked up stones again to stone him... “For a good work we do not stone you, but for blasphemy; and because you, being a man, make yourself out to be God.”

Notice it says they picked up stones again. John is referring back to John 8:59 and so tying the charge for both occasions. What did they see as the blasphemy then as well as on this occasion? Claiming deity.

"Jesus answered them, “Has it not been written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’? “If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), do you say of him, whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?"

Many interpret Jesus’ words as directed towards human rulers but a reading of the source, Psalm 82 shows that he is referring to the divine council in heaven who were judged for injustice (to whom the word of God came). If that is the case then what Jesus is asserting is that Tanakh describes the divine council as ‘gods’ and so he too is God but not merely of the created heavenly class but as ontologically one with the uncreated, all powerful Most High Father. “If I do not do the works of my Father, do not believe me; but if I do them, though you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.”

He is not just elohim but, as stated in John 5, the unique Son of God.

“Therefore they were seeking again to seize Him, and He eluded their grasp.” (John 10:28–39)

They knew what he was claiming and that’s why they continued to try and take him.

Here is Psalm 82 “Elohim takes His stand in the divine assembly (עדת-אל); He judges in the midst of the gods (אלהים). How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? ...I said, “You are gods (אלהים אתם), And all of you are sons of the Most High. “Nevertheless you will die like men (כאדם תמותון) And fall like any one of the princes.”

Key points:

Not a hint of the Law of Moses, of Sinai, the nation or Torah, in the Psalm. Jesus points to the Tanakh’s acknowledgement of the existence of other elohim (also called malakhim and ‘sons of elohim’) in the heavenly court. There are divine beings in the Tanakh but only one eternal Elohim who is יהוה and Jesus is one with this Elohim who is both יהוה and Father. The other implication is that he is Lord of this heavenly council. The Tanakh points to one who is Angel and yet God.

Some interpret certain uses of elohim as meaning human judges but Heisler asserts, "However, neither judges nor elders are found in Exodus 21, and the Old Testament never uses the term elohim for human leaders anywhere else. Many presume that Exodus 18 refers to the elders as elohim, but the text never makes that equation. Elohim there refers, as usual, to God. A comparison of Exodus 21:1–6 (אֶל־הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים) with its parallel in Deuteronomy 15:12–18 further weakens this argument." (Michael S. Heiser, The Bible Unfiltered: Approaching Scripture on Its Own Terms (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2017), 63.) “The Jewish authorities got the message, too—they charged him with blasphemy. Now ask yourself, why would they do that if all Jesus was saying was “you mortal Jews get to call yourselves sons of God, and אלהים, so I can, too.” That makes no sense at all.”

Michael S. Heiser, The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible, First Edition. (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2015)

Jesus also said:

“If I do not do the works of my Father, do not believe me; but if I do them, though you do not believe me, believe the works..."

Throughout John's Gospel works (ἔργα) refer to Jesus' powerful miracles in terms of God's salvation. They testify to his authenticity: “...for the works which the Father has given me to accomplish—the very works that I do—testify about Me, that the Father has sent me.” (John 5:36). Jesus works are the works of God (John 9:3). He was to accomplish God's work (John 4:34) and did complete the task (John 17:4) of bringing God's salvation (John 6:29). God's work is Jesus' work and this claim resulted in another attempt to kill him: “But He answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working.” For this reason therefore the Judeans were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.” (John 5:17–18).

It was the works which showed he was the divine Messiah (John 10:24-25). He is the source of eternal life and holds believers in the safety of his hand/power. In fact, to be in his hand is to be in the Father's hand. They are one. The context is clear (John 10:24-30). Again, the Judeans knew what he was claiming (John 10:31, 33). The works legitimize his claim (John 10:32):

““If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father.”” (John 10:37–38).

Again, they knew what he was claiming and tried to seize him (John 10:39). The works are proof of the unity of the Father and Son: ““Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves.” (John 14:11).

In fact to reject the works of Jesus is to hate both the Father and Son (John 15:24).

Conclusion

The one who became a man is self-existing. The language John uses in chapter 1 makes a distinction between the one eternally existing as the Word and his becoming at a point in time, a man. The Word already existed '...in the beginning', reflecting the words of Genesis 1:1 but the Word became human and lived a human life. Yet he claimed something which the religious leaders saw as blasphemy. In John 8:58 he used a phrase which is applied to God in Isaiah (אני הוא - Isaiah 43:13 et al) and is related to Exodus 3:14. 'I am' in this context was a claim to being eternal and only God is eternal. They certainly got his gist. John 1:2 says that οὗτος (he) was in the beginning with God. Throughout John οὗτος is both personal and refers to a person. All things were created 'through him'. John states that he 'beheld' the glory of the λόγος in the person of Jesus. John's testimony of Jesus was that he existed before him, as the unique God who manifests the Father to the world.

The paradox is mind blowing. The eternal becomes temporal. The divine becomes a man - completely... but without ceasing to be self-existent. The immortal becomes mortal. The omniscient becomes limited. The omnipresent becomes focused in time and place. Yet God remains God. We see this throughout Tanakh. The one who fills all things and is present in all time is manifest in one place and time. The God who is one is sender and yet sent. ““This is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” (John 17:3)

“And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.” (1 John 5:20) “οἴδαμεν δὲ ὅτι ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ ἥκει καὶ δέδωκεν ἡμῖν διάνοιαν ἵνα γινώσκωμεν τὸν ἀληθινόν, καὶ ἐσμὲν ἐν τῷ ἀληθινῷ, ἐν τῷ υἱῷ αὐτοῦ Ἰησοῦ Χριστῷ. οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ ἀληθινὸς θεὸς καὶ ζωὴ αἰώνιος.”

To be in the Son is to be in God. In fact he is the true God.

 
Huw P L Thomas ©2020 (FirePrior)